Phantom High School Host Club
by kmlo2
Summary: AU. At the end of the corridor of the East Wing in the main building of Stoneleigh Park Academy, there is a door. Open that door, and you will see that blinding light, and hear those sweetly-spoken words; 'Welcome, Princess...'
1. Lesson Zero

**A/N:**

**Please bear with me through this prologue. I'm not a fan of OCs or even anything **_**resembling**_** one, so I felt uncomfortable writing this part... But things should be cleared up soon.**

I (blatantly) pilfered the host club idea from Ouran (of course). I have also taken the liberty of using characters from both the manga and anime versions of KSTJ. Hopefully it'll work out.

**Disclaimer:** The characters and plot of Kuroshitsuji belong to Toboso Yana-sensei. And for good measure, the characters and plot of Ouran High School Host Club belong to Hatori Bisco-sensei. If I owned anything, I wouldn't be writing _fan_fiction.

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Lesson Zero: An Introduction Sets the Scene

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Stoneleigh Park Academy was a boarding school for the rich, the powerful, the famous, and the incredibly lucky. Here, the offspring of celebrities, politicians and CEOs received quality education from the finest tutors England had to offer. It was an academy that encouraged independence and self-reliance in a safe and supportive environment.

On this vast campus, students supposedly learned what it was like to get by in the 'real world', though they still had on-site access to the usual necessities such as fashion boutiques, chauffeurs, stylists and personal trainers.

The classroom floors were made of the finest marble; the dormitories, or residential halls, housed five-star suites for every student; lunch and dinner menus contained such dishes as foie gras salad and roast duck, prepared by chefs who'd been merited multiple Michelin stars.

Here, on this luxurious campus, certain voices whispered in the high school café.

.

"Isn't that Skye from our class?"

"You mean the creepy one who always sits at the back?"

"She's so scary…she doesn't talk to anyone, and she's always scowling…"

"Why does she cover her eye with her hair? Doesn't she know Emo is last year's fashion?"

"I thought she was kinda pretty…I wanted to ask her to join the fashion photography club, since clubs are starting up again soon…"

"Are you _crazy_? She'll eat you alive!"

"She's probably some unearthly creature, so she won't even show up in your photos anyway!"

A round of laughter followed.

.

The subject of the gossip sat alone at a table by the window, forcing down her lunch. She didn't want to eat – this place made her feel sick – but the other day, right in the middle of a violin tutorial, she had collapsed from exhaustion. It was probably in her best interest to eat lunch, at the very least.

After quickly finishing her food, Skye stood to go to her usual spot. However, upon exiting the café, her stomach lurched, unhappy with what she'd eaten. Feeling that unpleasant sensation rising in her throat, she ran to the bathroom.

She hated the bitter taste in her mouth. Bile and acid. Not again. She pursed her lips in frustration as she washed her hands and face in the marble basin. She hadn't meant to vomit every time she ate. There was something about this place, the people, the food. It unsettled both her mind and her stomach.

She despised this place, full of air-headed, spoiled brats. They were sent to this boarding school to learn about life, but the school was so worried about complaints from the pompous students that they were treated the same way they would have been at home.

Skye looked up at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She straightened out her blue-grey pigtails. With her fingers she brushed her fringe over to cover her right eye. Finally, she stood back a little to inspect her uniform; a plain beige blouse and red tie under a navy blue blazer with gold pinstripes, bearing the school crest; a short grey skirt, white knee-high socks and brown school shoes. What a joke. She tugged uncomfortably at the skirt. It was much too short for her liking. Not that she liked skirts in the first place.

Wearily, she walked down the vast halls of the East Wing, down to her favourite room. She had passed every lunch hour from the last two months there in that empty room, quietly staring out the window, playing chess against herself, or simply admiring the various paintings and sculptures that decorated the place. It was not the most interesting of things to do, but it was better than nothing, since students were not permitted to return to their suites during school hours.

She approached it, the door at the end of the hallway. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she put her hand around the ornate gold handle and opened the door, anticipating the welcoming silence, the comforting darkness.

What she found instead was that light. That damned light that made her eyes tear, and those sweetly-spoken words that deceptively hid a devilish smile.

"Welcome, Princess…"

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	2. Lesson One

Lesson One: This is a Club Room

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A slender hand extended towards her, with a charming smile and crimson eyes that glittered, partially hidden behind silky black hair. Skye looked up at him. He was tall, much taller than she. He looked older than her, but he was definitely another student, clad in the school uniform. …But who was he, and what the _hell_ was he doing?

"Come, Princess. It seems you are our first customer today."

Princess? Customer?

Skye's cheeks coloured. Before she realised what was happening, the tall boy had taken her hand and was pulling her closer to him.

"Let go of me!" she demanded, shaking her hand free of his grasp. This drew the attention of the others in the room, whom she had not noticed before.

"My, my. It seems we have a feisty client today," said a boy with bright red hair and glasses to match, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Skye shivered – that grin made him look like some sort of rapist…

Another boy, somehow familiar, with dark, wavy hair and tan skin giggled, "It's Skye Barnett, the new girl! She's in my class!"

Next to him was a boy about his age with marmalade-coloured hair. He was smirking, his heavily made-up eyes forming crescents. "She's cute, too."

A white-haired boy with a serious expression nonchalantly remarked, "As long as she doesn't break anything."

Bewildered, Skye turned her attention to the one standing before her. "Who are you? What are you doing here? I found this reading room first, and I demand you leave right now!"

"Actually," said the white-haired boy, "this is a club room, and it has belonged to us for two years now – it's property of the Stoneleigh Park Academy Host Club."

Skye couldn't believe her ears, the two words resounded deafeningly. "H-h-host…club?"

The red-eyed boy in front of her smiled again and brought an arm around her small shoulders, drawing her towards the centre of the room. "We are a club devoted to serving the fair maidens of this school, maidens such as yourself. We strive to provide you with our company, and we will entertain your fantasies and indulge your whims – so long as these do not require touching below the belt, of course."

The other males in the room assembled in a line, as if on cue. "Our club offers a variety of different types to cater to any preference," the black-haired boy proceeded to introduce them;

"If you prefer the silent, romantic type, perhaps Ash is to your taste." This was the serious, white-haired boy.

"Or if the seductive type takes your fancy, there's Grell." The grinning rapist.

"Joker is our resident rock star, if you would rather have the cool, rebellious type." The one with eyeliner and spiked orange hair.

"If you like the idea of a cute, innocent but exotic playmate instead, there's Soma, our very own prince hailing from India." The tanned, wavy-haired one.

"Or maybe," he said, lifting Skye's chin with a long finger and bringing his face close to hers, "You would rather have _me_?"

The sudden touch snapped Skye's last remaining nerve. She batted the hand away angrily. "Stop touching me, you slimy bastard!"

The redhead, Grell, gasped, looking ready to faint, "She hit Sebastian!"

"Stop calling me that!" Skye growled, her fists clenching. "I'm _clearly_ not a girl!"

This earned a confused "Eh?" from the club members. Exasperated, Skye tugged at one of her long blue-grey pigtails, and the wig fell to the floor with a rustle.

.

"_EHHHH_?"

.

Under the wig was the same blue-grey hair, only shorter. Behind the long fringe of the wig was a surgical eye patch, concealing the right eye. "If you would like, I can take off my shirt too."

The boy called Joker chuckled. "If we wanted definitive proof, you'd probably have to take your _skirt_ off."

Grell laughed, "I thought her chest was a little flat for her age~"

Meanwhile, Ash rubbed his temple, sighing. "So he's not a client after all. How disappointing."

The black-haired one, Sebastian, smiled his charming smile again. "It appears that the one standing before us is not Skye Barnett, then?"

The one in question defended himself with a scowl. "My name is Ciel. My aunt, Angelina Barnett, enrolled me at this school as a female student, and under an alias, to protect me." He glared at the Host Club members, feeling like a deer caught in headlights.

"Intriguing," said Ash simply.

Sebastian gave Ciel an amused smirk, quite dissimilar to his previous dashing smiles. "Then, by revealing this to us, do you not think that your life is now in danger?" he leaned in close to the shorter boy again.

Playing macho, Ciel stood his ground. "I don't think a bunch of dirty womanisers such as yourselves would want much to do with me." He wasn't entirely sure if this was true – in fact, he really didn't know what this bunch of creeps would do with this information.

The Host Club exchanged glances with each other, silently deciding what to do with this girl, who was actually a boy. But just before they could announce this to Ciel, there was a great rumbling, as an earthquake, causing the various objets d'art to rattle about.

"It's time," mumbled Ash.

Joker threw his fist enthusiastically into the air. "Soldiers! Prepare for glory!"

The sound of rumbling drew closer and closer. When it was loudest, the doors of the club room swung open, and a horde of squealing female students swarmed in, trampling poor Ciel.

.

.

In a great display of efficiency, the Host Club had seated the mob of girls at various tables around the room within minutes, and had themselves seated right amongst them, making conversation over pastries and cups of tea. The scene confounded Ciel, as he scanned the room. Indeed, the girls seemed to revel in the company of these weird guys – he watched as the girls blushed and giggled every time Sebastian called them 'Princess'; every time Joker flashed a cool smile; every time Grell moved his face even an inch closer to theirs. What a dumb bunch of girls. Who would fall for such fake moves?

"It really is a sight to see, isn't it." Ash said coolly. It was more of a statement than a question. Ciel hadn't noticed him standing there before. "These girls seem like a squabble of dimwits, don't they?"

Ciel turned his head warily to look at the white haired student. It was as if he'd read his mind. He didn't dare to say anything.

"Well, I guess they are." he said with a hint of amusement, answering his own question. "But even dimwits feel the need to be loved. And that is what we simulate here – a tender, loving relationship. Without the physical intimacy, obviously."

This explanation didn't make Ciel understand things any better.

Behind them, girly voices whispered in excitement. Curious, Ciel turned around to find a handful of blushing girls staring straight at him. Then it struck him – he wasn't wearing his wig! His face began to heat up and he panicked, not knowing what to do. To his horror, the girls approached him.

They addressed Ash shyly. "Excuse us, Ash. Has this host been assigned a group yet?"

Ash was surprised at first, not quite understanding what they meant. Ciel shot him a pleading look. Then, when it dawned upon him, he gave the faintest of smiles and replied, "No, nobody has designated our Ciel yet. Would you like to?"

"If it's okay…"

"Of course it is."

In that brief exchange of words, Ciel felt himself crumble into non-existence.

.

As the group of them sat around a low coffee table, Ciel was bombarded with all sorts of questions – Why did you join the Host Club? Do you cross-dress often? What's your favourite food? How do you keep your hair so soft? He timidly tried to answer them all, feeling more like a deer in the headlights than he did previously, in front of the club members. Nevertheless, the girls seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly, hanging on his every word.

"What's your favourite class, Ciel?"

He contemplated this for a second, having never thought about it before. After a pause, he replied, "I feel that I excel in History and Music, but I don't favour any one subject above all the others. The key to being a well-rounded student is to appreciate the merits of all subjects, knowing that they all benefit us in some way."

The girls stared in awe, mouths gaping.

Ciel winced, wondering if he'd said something to offend them. To his relief, the girls began fawning over him again.

"Oh, Ciel! That was such an intelligent answer!"

"I don't think my _father_ is as mature as you!"

He didn't acknowledge their comments, instead turning his attention to his cup of tea. Despite his denial however, deep down he quite enjoyed this flattery, and came to see why one would consider becoming a host. Setting his cup down into its saucer, he noticed Sebastian staring straight at him, wearing that devilish smirk from before. A shiver made its way down his back, which thankfully went unnoticed by the girls.

.

.

.

The lunch hour flew by faster than he'd expected. At the end of it, the girls meekly asked to make an appointment with him next time. Ciel gulped at the prospect of 'next time', and attempted to explain to them that he had no intention of returning, but just as he'd opened his mouth, Sebastian spoke on his behalf.

"It has already been noted. You will be the first group to have Ciel next week."

Ciel choked. They didn't expect him to come _back_ here, did they? He looked on with disgust as the girls left the club room, chirping away. A soft weight fell upon his head - his wig. Joker, who had dropped it, patted it down. "Good job, kid."

Ciel twitched at the name. "I'm not _that_ much younger than you…"

Grell walked over and petted him too. "Not bad for an amateur~"

"A very good job indeed. The girls were very pleased with you." said Ash with a nod of approval.

"Yay! Go Ciel!" exclaimed Soma, clapping and jumping up and down like an excited child. Ciel couldn't believe such immaturity could come from a high school student.

Finally, Sebastian spoke. "Congratulations. You've qualified to become part of the Host Club."

The boy almost threw his wig down again in rage. Oh, if only one of those sculptures was within his reach. He'd have propelled it at the taller boy's head in no time. "I never _wanted_ to be a part of this stupid club! And what do you mean 'congratulations'?"

"Nobody ever said you had to _accept _our offer, Ciel." Sebastian's expression darkened as he walked closer, to tower over the short boy. "But do consider what would happen to your reputation if Miss Skye Barnett's true identity was revealed to the school…"

Hearing these words, Ciel cowered in the black-haired boy's shadow. The bastard…!

"The Host Club will strive to keep Ciel and Skye two separate entities, if you cooperate with us." added Ash.

Joker chimed in with a wink, "So as long as you're a host, your secret is safe with us!"

The hosts began an animated discussion concerning the new addition to their club. Firstly, Ash took it upon himself to find a male uniform for Ciel to use while he was at the club. Sebastian was in charge of arranging for a custom eye-patch to be made. "What about his 'type'?" asked Soma, bouncing eagerly.

Joker rubbed his chin. "It looked as though he was quite the thinker back there."

"And he acted in quite a refined way, like a nobleman!" Soma suggested. The others nodded in agreement.

Grell's eyes glittered. "Ah~ like a young noble, tired of the gossip and complaints of society! He avoids the chattering crowds altogether and spends his days learning the teachings of great thinkers before him, pondering the meaning of life, of love, of humanity! But what loneliness there is in those sad blue eyes! Oh, how romantic~!" he finished his dramatic monologue with a sigh.

"Please don't do that ever again…" mumbled a repulsed Ciel.

Ash gave Sebastian a sideways glance, and the latter announced, "Then, Ciel will be our little nobleman; refined, extremely philosophical, but with good common sense. However, behind his vast insight, he hides a lonely heart." At this, the other three cheered.

The boy grimaced at the romanticised description, but couldn't help but feel that in one way or another, there was an air of truth to it.

Soma giggled. "Isn't that cool? Sebastian is our 'servant' type and now we have a 'nobleman' to match!"

"That's not cool at all!" Ciel cried hotly in protest.

The school bell rang, signifying the end of the lunch hour and interrupting the discussion. It appeared that Ciel had no choice in the matter. The hosts gathered their books and left: Ash first, silently, then Soma, waving cheerily. Grell winked at the boy before strutting out the door, and Joker gave Ciel's hair one last pat, saying, "Next time, I want to see you smile more, yeah?" He didn't wait for a response as he gave the boy a thumbs-up and walked casually away.

Only Sebastian was left standing by the door, not in any hurry to leave. "You impressed me today." he said at length, "I look forward to working with you, my little master."

As the taller one exited, Ciel mentally kicked himself. Who'd have thought a wig would have caused him this much grief?

.

.

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* * *

**A/N**: I forgot to mention previously that I use British English. _True _English that is. After all, Kuro _is_ set in England.

I decided to give Ciel the alias of "Skye", as "ciel" is French for "sky".

And I know that many translations of Kuro will translate "Bocchan" as "Young Master". However, I don't think that "Young Master" sounds quite as endearing as the Japanese equivalent. So I've used "Little Master" instead (although it's less correct), with the hope of preserving the endearing notion.

**N.B.**: I **do not** intend to make parallels with Ouran. While there are some ideas that overlap, I am not going to assign character roles in order to reflect those of Ouran, if you get what I mean. (i.e., Soma IS, in fact, Soma. He is not the PHSHC equivalent of Hani-senpai (though they may be similar), and I will not treat his character as such, etc. etc.) I also do not intend to follow the plot of Ouran. That would be boring and even more unoriginal than fanfiction. I have merely used the series as a starting concept.


	3. Bonus Lesson

Bonus Lesson: The Prologue of the Prologue

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_Stoneleigh Park Academy is an internationally-acclaimed boarding school offering quality education at the primary and secondary levels. _

_We have the finest teachers and tutors from both England and abroad, all willing to share their knowledge and expertise. _

_Students will enjoy the elegant and tranquil setting of the campus, boasting a variety of gardens, libraries, boutiques and recreational facilities. _

_Accommodation consists of three halls of residence for every school, each suite within featuring their own unique design aesthetic. Our halls have been given a five-star rating for the quality of the suites, service, and food._

_For your information, we have enclosed a copy of our prospectus as well as information booklets about our halls of residence. If you have any queries, blah, blah, blah…_

.

.

He looked up, and was met with smiling ruby eyes.

"So, what do you think?"

A dissatisfied grimace. "I can arrange to have such an education right here, at home. Why should I go to a boarding school?"

"Because," A pause for effect. "You've been at home too long. It's about time you went out to see what it's like in the big world beyond these walls. Besides, you'll be starting at the high school, so you'll only be there for a short time."

"Three years isn't such a short time…"

A refined sip of tea. "You have no say in the matter. I have already enrolled you."

He was handed a piece of paper, and as he unfolded it to read, his eyes widened in disbelief.

.

.

_Dear Miss Barnett,_

_Thank you for your application to enroll with us here at Stoneleigh Park Academy. We would be delighted to have you join us and have thus accepted your application. _

_Please also send our regards to your Aunt, and do let her know that it would be our honour to have an audience with her in the near future._

_We look forward to meeting you soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Mr. XYZ_

_Headmaster, Stoneleigh Park Academy_

.

.

"Why is this addressed to '_Miss_ Barnett'?"

"You know it's dangerous to go around touting your name in public. So I took the liberty of enrolling you as a girl, with my last name, to divert unwanted attention." And then, with a flourish, "That, and I've always wanted a niece."

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**A/N:** So that's how things ended up the way they are now. Thank you very much, Madame Red! It seems that Ciel doesn't really get to decide his fate much.

Anyway, since Lesson Two is in the works, I thought I'd give you a preview~

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**In the Next Lesson…**

"_Give me your hands, Ciel."_

_The boy meekly complied, allowing his black-haired upperclassman to hold his hands. _

_Gently, Sebastian whispered, "Is this your first time?"_

_Ciel's face felt hot and he nodded slightly. _

"_That's fine. I'll show you how it's done..."_

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	4. Lesson Two

Lesson Two: Everyone Plays a Part

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He should've known something like this was going to happen. Now thanks to his rash actions, he was at the mercy of that godforsaken Host Club. He sighed tiredly, leaning back in his chair. The current situation put him in quite a predicament – he couldn't decide whether or not to tell Aunt Anne. On the one hand, this matter was really none of her concern, since he was sure there was nothing to fear so long as he didn't cross Sebastian and Ash, who seemed to be in charge of the club. On the other hand, his dear aunt had her connections, and word would eventually reach her. This was certainly not a matter she would want to discover through gossip. Thus, in a preemptive move, he decided to send her an email himself.

.

_Dear Aunt Anne,_

_I hope you are well and enjoying your time abroad._

This was the reason she'd sent him away to boarding school, wasn't it? She could now travel and have time to herself without having to worry about him.

_I apologise for not being able to email you sooner – I've been preoccupied for the last few months. _

That was hardly true. Ciel had simply not felt the need to contact her.

_You will be pleased to know that I have settled well into the academy. The suites are of an acceptable standard, though unlike the manor, it lacks the feeling of home. The food and service are also of a satisfactory standard. _

_My studies are going well. I am able to keep up with the class, despite your obvious concern prior to my departure. I have also found time to participate in extra-curricular club activities._

Here we go…

_In truth, the reason why I joined this particular club is somewhat complicated. I am afraid that I accidentally revealed my identity in the presence of the club members. Thankfully, the club is small (there are only five members) and they promised to keep my secret on the condition that I joined their club._

Ciel's fingers trembled on his laptop keyboard. There was really nothing to be thankful about.

_Anyway, I'd better not take up your time. Do have fun on your travels, and try not to bring home any strange men._

_With love,_

_Ciel_

.

He clicked 'Send', deciding against elaborating too much. Perhaps Aunt Anne wouldn't think to notice the little details he hadn't mentioned.

.

Almost five minutes later, a new message arrived in his inbox.

It was from Aunt Anne. Void of any greeting or small talk, the email contained a single sentence.

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_wat kinda club?_

.

Ciel groaned and slapped his face with his palm.

.

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It was so very tempting to simply hide out in one of the libraries so as not to have to go to the club, but since there were only six members including himself, and with his reputation at stake, Ciel knew better. Last week, they had made it quite clear what Ciel's fate would be if he crossed them. The image of all the laughing and jeering students made him reel in horror.

He hurried down the corridor of the East Wing, to the door at the very end. His hand reached for the door handle and he entered swiftly, hoping that he'd gone unnoticed by any passers-by.

There Sebastian was, seated on one of the lavish couches. A blue box made of card and bearing the school insignia sat beside him. "Well, well. The little master is early." he said in a patronising manner as Ciel approached.

The boy coldly replied, "I'd rather be dressed in proper uniform _before_ the clients arrive this time."

Sebastian gestured to the box by his side. "Ash had to speak with a tutor of his, so he passed this to me to give to you. His tailor is impeccable – I'm sure the sizing is perfect."

As he lifted the lid from the box and removed the delicate tissue paper beneath, Ciel wondered how they would have known his measurements. He picked up the new blazer, shirt and pants, looking around the room for some place to change out of his female uniform. He'd figured that it wouldn't be safe to change in the bathrooms. Sebastian's voice broke through the silence. "I brought a mirror. It's in the corner over there." he pointed to the corner behind the couch. "Feel free to get dressed there." then, wickedly, "I promise I won't peek."

Uncomfortably, Ciel shuffled away to the mirror in the corner. In the back of his mind he hoped that the others would arrive soon – he didn't want to be left alone for too long with this infernal bastard!

Ciel shrugged his blazer off, then carefully loosened his tie and pulled it over his head, careful not to undo it. Then he hastily unbuttoned his blouse, put on his new shirt, and buttoned that up, just in case Sebastian was, in fact, peeking. In what he thought was a stroke of genius, he slid his pants on while still wearing his skirt to avoid having to bare unnecessary skin. Congratulating himself, he picked up the tie and tried to slip it over his head again, but as he tried to ease it over both of his voluminous pigtails, his hand slipped and pulled the tie undone. Ciel cursed under his breath, throwing his wig down. He picked up the red tie and attempted to retie it, fingers fumbling about, mostly in vain.

A minute or two had passed, and Sebastian asked what was wrong. The younger boy's sharp retort, that he was fine and didn't need help, led Sebastian to believe otherwise. He turned around and chuckled softly at the sight of Ciel versus Necktie, with Ciel fighting quite the losing battle.

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance, little master" Sebastian offered fondly.

Embarrassed, Ciel was about to refuse, when the older student pulled the tie from between his small fingers and draped it around his neck. Walking around him, Sebastian easily reached over Ciel's shoulders from behind. "Give me your hands, Ciel."

The boy meekly complied, allowing his black-haired upperclassman to hold his hands. Gently, Sebastian whispered, "Is this your first time?"

Ciel's face felt hot and he nodded slightly.

"That's fine. I'll show you how it's done."

The hands began to move expertly, but slowly enough for Ciel to follow and take mental note. Vaguely, Ciel noticed Sebastian complaining about how at his age, he should be able to do such basic things. Once he'd finished, Sebastian moved his hands away for Ciel to inspect the result. Then he took the male uniform blazer and placed it on Ciel's shoulders.

"Honestly," Sebastian exhaled, "Is it really that hard to dress yourself? I'm not your butler, you know."

The grey-haired boy's face went pink again, but he didn't dignify the comment as he slipped his arms into the sleeves. Turning to the mirror, he looked over his reflection several times. The male blazer was free of the feminine bust darts of Skye's uniform, and the simple shirt was more closely fitted than the blouse, which had room for cleavage that Ciel did not possess. Above all, he was grateful for the long, grey trousers. It was the first time anything had covered him below the thigh in months.

"Oh, before I forget," Sebastian reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a small bundle of black fabric. He tossed it to Ciel, who caught it in both his hands. It was an eye-patch, made from black silk and brocaded with silver thread.

"I designed the embroidery motif myself. I hope it's to your taste."

The boy stood there, speechless.

Sebastian checked his watch. It was almost time for the club to open. The other hosts would be there soon too. He walked away from Ciel and the mirror, contemplating the hour ahead, when his thoughts were interrupted by Ciel's shy utterance.

"T-thanks…Sebastian."

"Don't mention it," he shrugged and turned back to the now-very-much-a-boy boy, wearing his new eye-patch. "Besides, how could I expect to serve the little master if I couldn't do such a simple task?"

Ciel's scowl returned to his face at the older boy's patronising remark.

.

.

.

As the Host Club prepared for opening time, Ciel tried to fathom what it was that made these guys to appealing to the throngs of girls out there.

Firstly, there was Grell. After that melodramatic outburst last week, not to mention that perverted grin and that long, crazy red hair, Ciel was sure that the bespectacled boy was not quite right in the head.

Next, Joker. Overall he was admittedly normal, but Ciel hated being called 'kid'. Plus, any guy wearing that much eyeliner must have _some_ sort of strange quirk to him, right?

Then there was Ash. He was so serious and so tactless with his words, Ciel swore that girls would've found him boring.

Soma was another case altogether. If he wasn't taller than Ciel, he could have passed as a student from the middle school, or even primary, with the way he acted. Didn't that guy have even a hair of dignity?

Lastly, that infuriating rat, Sebastian. No explanation needed. The very thought of him made Ciel cringe. Granted, he did have a nice side to him, as demonstrated before… No. Ciel didn't allow himself to consider the tie incident.

Besides Ash, the rest of them seemed like a bunch of pushovers. Even his aunt Frances was manlier. (That being said, his aunt Frances was probably manlier than her own husband.)

Then, he felt it again, the ominous rumbling of the ground and rattling of the décor. The doors swung open. The girls rushed in. This week Sebastian took the initiative to herd the girls into groups and usher them to their seats with their appointed host.

Ciel stood to welcome his first group, the same girls with whom he spoke last time. They looked enthralled to be able to sit in his presence again, and he wondered just what he had done to earn this. Casually he asked his clients, "Why did you designate me again? What's special about me?"

The girls seemed puzzled by the sudden question, but then one girl merrily answered, "Because you are my type. Your personality appeals to me more than that of the other hosts."

It was as if loose ends had been tied in his brain. Of course. Ciel glanced around the room at the other hosts – Grell charmed his clients with his romantic speeches; Joker's cool, rock-star attitude drew like-minded girls; Ash's serious demeanour won the admiration of his clientele, while Soma's playfulness meant that girls always had fun around him. And Sebastian? He proved to be one hell of a host. He treated his girls like princesses. He could be romantic, serious, fun, cool and seductive interchangeably, as he needed. Perhaps Sebastian appealed to girls with a split personality.

The tiniest of smiles travelled across Ciel's lips. Everybody had something to bring to the table. Everyone played a part.

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It was the end of a tiring day. At lunch, Ciel had had three different groups of girls to appoint him. They asked the strangest questions and talked about such unimportant things, and they had all booked a time slot with him for next week. If they hadn't done so, Ciel would not have had to try and remember all their names…but they did. It made for a confusing and rather embarrassing lunch break.

He sat through the last class of the day absentmindedly staring out the window. It wasn't like him to daydream, but today he couldn't focus on terminal velocity and gravitational constants and the like without feeling the great urge to fall asleep. He would be sure to download the MP3 of the lesson later tonight.

The bell heralding the end of the day could not have rung sooner. Ciel packed his books into his bag and was out the door before everyone else. He stopped dead in his tracks though, when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Miss Barnett,"

Ciel didn't want to turn around, but his body acted faster than his mind could, and he was once again face to face with Sebastian. He could hear the gossip already, girls merely metres down the corridor whispering maliciously, "What's that Skye girl doing with Sebastian Michaelis?"

"What is it?" Ciel asked as indifferently as he could.

Sebastian held out a small, unassuming brown paper bag. "This is from the Host Club. A small token of gratitude, if you will."

Not showing his surprise, Ciel took the bag studied its contents. Inside was an elaborately crafted wooden box. Without any further scrutiny, Ciel thanked Sebastian quietly and walked towards the exit. He was unaware that the host was following him until they were out of the main building and heading for Ciel's residential hall.

"Aren't you going to look inside it?"

The abrupt comment startled Ciel so much he nearly dropped the object of conversation. "Why are you following me?"

"Is this not the way to all the high school residential halls?" asked Sebastian rhetorically. The younger boy's face burned with anger and embarrassment. He decided to open the box after all.

As he lifted the hinged lid, a haunting melody began to play – a music box. In place of the conventional twirling ballerina, however, there was a beautiful butterfly of blue crystal, half enshrouded by a swirl of sterling silver roses and their thorny vines. The excellent craftsmanship was apparent, but Ciel could not help feeling awkward at how effeminate the trinket was.

"Do you like it?" inquired Sebastian, stealing Ciel's train of thought.

"It's pretty," said Ciel, "But why are you giving it to me?"

Sebastian reminded him of his clients from earlier that day. The girls from two of the three groups he'd entertained were either first-time clients or clients who had returned after having previously discontinued their patronage. Ciel had increased the Host Club's clientele by eight members in two weeks. As each new client paid a membership fee of £550 at registration, an additional £50 every month they continued their membership, and further costs for special club events, Ciel had achieved a rather impressive feat.

"Great," muttered the boy sardonically, "I bring in upwards of £8000 for you and all I get to show for it is a silly music box."

"Don't be so cynical. This music box was custom made by a French craftsman employed by Ash's family. We designed it and sent him the plans. The old man was rather efficient, wouldn't you say?"

Ciel stopped walking. "Wait. You mean…you guys designed and made this…today?"

The host nodded. "This afternoon, even."

"But how? I mean, with class and everything?"

"That's why they invented mobile phones, little mistress."

Taking another look at the music box, Ciel felt a sense of reverence come about him.

After several minutes of walking across the campus, the two reached Ciel's hall of residence. They had walked the remainder of the distance wordlessly, with the younger of the pair still captivated by the sheer skill shown in the making of the music box. As he climbed the steps to the entrance, he noticed Sebastian still following.

"Are you done stalking me?" Ciel huffed.

"It is good and proper etiquette for a man to escort a lady to her room, especially when there are dangerous men about."

Sebastian was making reference to the fact that Ciel lived in the mixed-gender residential hall (whereas the other two were males- or females-only) and was therefore under the eye of unsavoury male students, but Ciel couldn't help but think that Sebastian was more dangerous to him than any of these other residents.

There was another awkward silence as they passed the lobby and entered the lift. Ciel lived on the top floor, so the ride in the elevator seemed to take forever. Not once looking at his 'escort', he suspected that Sebastian had his obnoxious smirk plastered on his face the entire time. When they reached their destination, Ciel made a point of getting to his room as quickly as possible in order to rid himself of his companion. He took large, brisk strides, but since Sebastian had longer legs, he kept up with little effort. The younger host wished for another growth spurt, as the first had not been very generous at all.

They stood outside his door, Ciel's hand firmly around the door handle, card key poised to unlock it. With that Sebastian gave a slight bow, a theatrical display that Ciel thought was completely redundant, and said, "Well then, I'm off to my own room now."

Ciel made a point of watching as the older student started down the corridor, but before he could mutter 'good riddance' under his breath, the tall boy stopped and inserted his card key into the door of the adjacent room. Sebastian flashed a devilish smile at him before going inside.

"You have got to be kidding me."

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* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for all the reviews and faves and alerts! I didn't think this story would really take off, to be honest…

I like an embarrassed Ciel. Sebastian probably does too. But perhaps I am pushing things too far by making them next-door neighbours…

Also I got the inspiration for the uniform from Kuroshitsuji Mode Collection 6. It's the picture of Sebastian, Ciel, Agni and Soma dressed in school uniforms. In case you were wondering.


	5. Lesson Three

Lesson Three: Girls Like Boys who Like Boys

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That familiar cheerful voice called out across the café. "Skye! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

The addressed, however, was not at all happy to see him. "What is it, Soma?" he spat.

The Indian boy did not pay heed to the annoyance in Ciel's tone. He continued on with his lively babbling, talking about everything from the weather to girls to a cute rabbit he'd seen in one of the campus gardens. Ciel made little effort to hide his disinterest, as the prince always spoke of useless things. He suspected that the childish host's head was probably so empty that he wouldn't realise that Ciel wasn't paying attention anyway.

"Soma," Ciel began, cutting his classmate off mid-sentence. "Is there a reason you're talking to me?"

The tanned host thought for a second. There probably wasn't a reason after all, so Ciel could feel better about telling him to go away.

"There sure is! Sebastian sent for you!"

The pigtailed boy scoffed. "_Sent_ for me? The nerve of that bastard…as if he _owns_ me or something!"

"Oh don't be mad, Skye! He means well!" Soma then lowered his voice to a whisper. "It's Host Club business."

Ciel groaned, his food beginning to taste unpleasant in his mouth. Wasn't once a week enough? Not to mention it was the end of the week – a rather busy week at that. He really didn't want to spend what was technically his weekend meeting with that stupid Sebastian.

"We're meeting in the club room tonight at eight. You _will_ come, won't you, Ciel?"

"You ask me this as if I had a choice."

"Yay! See you tonight then!" with that, Soma bounced away. At least he was gone now.

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Once his lessons had concluded for the day, Ciel promptly returned to his suite, hoping he wouldn't bump into his dreaded neighbour on the way. Seeing that guy once a week was more than enough – he didn't want to have to deal with him out of school hours too!

He slipped into the suite without a sound and walked down the hallway as the lights turned on automatically. This room was much smaller than his own bedroom at the manor; however he was very pleased with the design. Decorated with a Victorian theme in mind, the suite featured a window that spanned from floor to ceiling framed with regal drapes, polished oak furniture fit for a castle, a four-post bed complete with a canopy, and a crystal chandelier that hung majestically in the centre of the room. Of course, the academy went to great pains to accommodate their fussy students, so they had probably researched Skye's interests and had the room decorated with her in mind.

There was no shortage of tasks needing to be completed. A mountain of paperwork for the company piled up in digital format on his laptop; contractors running into problems in the middle of the construction of the new factory in Toulouse, the resignation of the regional director of the German division, and the results of a post-marketing survey for several product lines. On top of that, he had several literature reviews to complete, as well as a composition for his violin class. And he had yet to reply to Aunt Anne's email from the other day…

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, Ciel gently pulled off his long wig, and his head felt a great sense of weightlessness. He took off his blazer and shoes and swung his legs up onto the mattress. He turned onto his side and melted into the feel of the soft sheets. On the bedside table, in his line of sight, sat the music box the Host Club had given him. Curious, he picked it up and studied it again, winding it up and opening the lid to hear the eerily mournful melody. Turning it upside-down, he saw that there was a silver plaque on the bottom, on which words had been engraved in a decorative script.

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_For Ciel,_

_From the Stoneleigh Park Academy Host Club_

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And in smaller words below that,

_._

_Si Deus Me Relinquit – Composed by Sebastian Michaelis_

.

He supposed that this was the name of the tune. Recalling his limited Latin vocabulary, the grey haired boy figured that it loosely translated to '_If God has Forsaken Me'_. How very depressing, Ciel thought. Even so, he was mildly impressed that Sebastian was capable of creating such a piece. Setting the music box back on the table, Ciel laid himself down, still listening to the sweet but haunting tune. His eyelids felt heavy. Work and stress and frustration could wait until tomorrow. This bed and this melody felt immensely comforting, enveloping him, lulling him into a deep sleep.

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It wasn't long before he found himself _there_ again – in one of the many nondescript hallways of his family estate. He heard footsteps, his own, echo off the dark walls as he ran towards the warm, dull light. His feet felt hot, and became hotter with every step he took. Running, running, he couldn't afford to stop. His eyes stung as he focused ahead, at that silhouette.

He had to catch them this time.

The wooden floorboards groaned and creaked. The air was thick and painful to breathe. Merely inhaling and exhaling exhausted him. Mad, glowing flames lapped at the walls and ceiling. His feet stopped running, against his will, the silhouette just out of his reach.

He fought back tears, feeling the figure smile kindly at him. Even as she smiled, her gentle, soothing eyes glistened sadly.

.

_No…_

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He wanted to call out, to beg her not to go, but no matter how hard he screamed, not a sound escaped his lips. He willed himself to walk forward, to bring her back, but to no avail. Instead, he stretched out his hand toward her, grasping at the air.

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_Don't go…_

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She raised her dainty hand ever so slightly, as if to say goodbye. Turning around, she walked further and further into the fire, until she was completely engulfed.

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_Don't leave me…_

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And then he fell. Through the fast-dissolving floorboards and toward an infinite darkness, he fell. His voice rang out, many times louder than before, to be heard by nobody. He reached out again, to grab a hold of anyone, anything, to save him from the abyss. There was nothing.

Nothing but fire and sinister black smoke, and then…

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A high-pitched ringing caused Ciel to jolt straight up in his bed. He searched for his mobile phone, the source of the noise. Fumbling around in his blazer pocket, he found it, and without recognising the caller, answered it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Good evening, little master. You're late."

"WHAT? How did you get my number!" Ciel demanded into the phone.

Without even acknowledging the question, Sebastian continued. "Everybody is waiting. You have ten minutes to get here."

"But – "

He hung up.

Ciel ran a hand through his blue-grey hair. It clung to the back of his neck, damp with sweat. It was that loathsome dream again. He couldn't remember how many times he'd seen himself in that same corridor, nor how many times he desperately reached for the shadowy figure, only to watch him, or her, retreat into the flames. Every single time, without fail, he would wake from the nightmare drenched in sweat, panting and feeling choked, as if the ash and smoke had polluted his lungs.

His cerulean blue eye settled on his phone, and his mind was brought back to the matter at hand. He grabbed his wig from its place on his bed, gave it a brush with his slim fingers, and placed it snugly on his head. He picked up a light coat that had been draped across his chair and donned it as he made his way out the door. He blamed the damned music box for lulling him to sleep – chocolate would have been a much better gift.

Half-walking, half-jogging to down the hallway of the East Wing, Ciel wondered how the Host Club was able to gain access after school hours. Upon opening the door at the end, however, he didn't have time to entertain this thought. The rest of the Host Club, clad in casual attire[1], had seated themselves behind a long table, with Ash and Sebastian seated in the middle. They looked like a judging panel (except Soma, who had fallen asleep, slumped over in his chair). A lump formed in Ciel's throat. He expected the worst.

Joker gave Soma a nudge with his bony elbow. "Wake up, the new kid is here!"

"I have a name, you know…" Ciel sighed, his face dead serious. The ginger-haired host merely chuckled, reminding him to smile. Soma whined a little at Joker's prompting and sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes.

"Now that you are finally here," Sebastian declared, "We can begin your initiation."

Hearing this, Ciel's frigid composure soon vanished, replaced with a nauseating premonition of impending doom. Once again, he was at the mercy of this crazy rabble. "My…initiation?"

"Don't worry, Ciel! It won't hurt or anything!" Soma asserted, but his voice trailed off, "It might be uncomfortable at first…but you get used to it…"

Ciel wondered what that meant, hoping that Soma wasn't talking about what Ciel feared he was…

The deafening sound of his own worried thoughts was silenced with two succinct claps from an expressionless Sebastian. The other hosts were also called to attention, save for Ash, who maintained an aloof composure, engrossed in the inspection of his fingernails. "We are wasting time." Sebastian began coolly, "Grell, I leave our new host in your hands. Please commence the lesson."

Grell stood from his seat in a flash and hopped over the table. Fearing for his life, Ciel instinctively made a dash for the door, letting out an involuntary yelp. Being the taller one, Grell easily got to the exit first, cutting off Ciel's only hope of escape. The redhead grinned ear to ear, baring razor sharp teeth. "Like the prince said, there's nothing to be afraid of."

The small teenager was taken roughly by the shoulders and made to sit down in a wooden chair before a blackboard, neither of which he had seen before. Grell pranced over to said blackboard, twirling and striking a pose before taking a small piece of chalk and scrawling four words on the board in girly handwriting.

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_A Host's Three Commandments_

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"So you think that you're a full-fledged host now that you've been with us for a while, hmmm~?" sneered Grell, a glint in his piercing green eyes. "Well, let me tell you – no man may call himself a host until he becomes a practitioner of the Three Commandments!"

Ciel was unimpressed, keeping in mind that he did not become a host out of his own will. Regardless, the red-haired maniac continued. "At church, they expect you to follow _ten_ commandments. Here, however, we only ask that you follow _three_. Simple as they may seem, they are vital to your role as a host!"

More chalk-on-blackboard action, after which the first commandment materialised.

"Number One; _the lady comes first_. A host's sole priority is to tend to the ladies who have appointed him for the given time slot. Your focus is to please the lady in front of you. I think you know this well enough already."

His attention returned to the board as he wrote up the second commandment.

"Number Two; _play up your talents_! I don't know about you, but most people have unique characteristics that add to their charm."

"I have seen this too. This is why you have assigned 'types', is it not?" Ciel said confidently, wanting to leave this place as soon as possible.

Grell gave him the wink that Ciel had never wanted to see a second time. "Whatever you say." He paused, mostly for dramatic effect, and then,

"Now, the third and final commandment is the most important, but also the most difficult for many faint-hearted hosts. If a host succeeds in fulfilling this commandment, he will never see an end to his designations~ This is a commandment that must be executed with finesse. It can make or break your reputation!"

"Just tell me what the bloody commandment is!" demanded Ciel, nerves frazzled.

His upperclassman's hand moved with a fervor Ciel had never seen – the puny stick of chalk snapped in half under the pressure. Grell stepped away from the board, revealing two letters:

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_B.L._

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Needless to say, Ciel had no idea what Grell meant.

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"Number Three: _B.L_. A host must engage in suggestive displays with other hosts for the ladies' viewing pleasure."

"What…?"

Joker called out from his seat at 'the panel'. "He means you have to act gay because the girls like it."

"WHAT!" Ciel cried in disbelief.

Grell wiggled over to the boy's side and flicked his nose playfully with the tip of his finger. "Oh, come on, it's not that difficult~" Ciel did not know which made him shudder more – the touch or the sinister way in which Grell had just spoken.

"Perhaps," mused Sebastian, standing to his feet, "We should provide an example."

As if obeying an order, the rest of the hosts rose as well.

"You see, as every host is of a different type, every pairing has a different dynamic. Say you have a 'rebel' type, such as Joker, and a 'devil' type, such as myself,"

He grabbed Joker's wrist and gave it a swift tug. The latter's back hit the wall behind him with a muffled thump, Sebastian's free hand pinning his shoulder down as he brought his lips dangerously close. Joker growled.

Snapping out of this sudden display, the red-eyed one said, "In such a case, the rebel type takes on the role of the 'unwilling uke', and it feels almost as if there is a battle for dominance."

Ciel shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"On the other hand," he released his hold on Joker, who returned to his place as if nothing had happened. "If you have a 'playful' type with a 'devil' type, the pairing takes on a sweeter feel."

Soma leapt onto Sebastian and latched his arms around his neck. Sebastian responded by twirling him around, the two smiling sweetly at each other all the while. It made Ciel gag. The Indian boy let go of Sebastian and, like Joker, returned to his former position.

"Furthermore, when a 'seductive' type is involved,"

Grell bounded over and grabbed the collar of Sebastian's shirt, pulling him close as he bared his teeth in his Cheshire grin. In turn, Sebastian leapt over the table, pushing the coquettish one to the ground and straddling him. Poor Ciel felt his face grow hotter by several degrees and he did all he could to refrain from squeezing his unconcealed eye shut.

"The result is somewhat akin to an adult movie."

The black-haired host removed himself from Grell, who pouted at this. "So, now it's your turn." he said, dusting himself off.

"WHAT!"

Ciel was about to jump out of his seat until Ash ran over and strapped him to the chair with several metres of duct tape. "What the hell are you doing?! Release me at once!"

"I am afraid that this is a compulsory process." Ash stated, his voice and expression none too sympathetic. "You cannot simply avoid it."

The Host Club paced ominously closer to him. His stomach knotted itself.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

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The Host Club was once again in session. Ciel had carried himself more cautiously around the other members since that meeting the other night. Not even Joker and Ash, whom he thought to be the normal ones, could be trusted.

Only after he'd resisted their advances for an entire ten minutes had they given up. It had been the most dreadful ten minutes of his life. But, though they let him be, Ciel knew he would not be let off the hook that easily. Something in their eyes as they bid him farewell said to him, _"We'll get you next time…"_

"Is something wrong, Ciel?" asked one of his clients cheerfully, a girl whom he had dubbed 'Freckles' for obvious reasons, besides the fact that he failed to remember her real name.

He shook his head quickly and returned to the conversation after taking a bite of cake. That, he thought, was one merit to being a host – an endless supply of tea and cakes.

It was in the middle of his second time slot that he saw, in the corner of his eye, Grell strutting over to his table. Ciel rose from the plush armchair he sat in, excusing himself, to the surprise of his guests. He paced away from the redhead, disregarding where he was going. In his hurry, he failed to see the little puddle of spilled tea in the centre of the room.

Next thing he knew, he was on his back, derriere throbbing painfully, staring up at Sebastian's perplexed but smiling face. "Are you hurt?"

The one-eyed host opted to ignore the question, instead bellowing, "Why didn't you clean that up?! Are you trying to kill me?!" this heated yell drew the attention of the whole room.

"I apologise, little master. I would never dream of hurting you." The tall host knelt down beside Ciel, lifting him into a sitting position, leaning the small frame against his arm. "I want to be by your side, protecting you until the very end."

A collective squeal from the girls echoed around the club room.

The long, slender fingers reached to caress his face. Mortified, Ciel shut his eye and prepared for the worst. The fingers met with his cheek in a gentle sweeping motion. He opened his eye in bewilderment, catching sight of Sebastian's superior gaze.

"There were crumbs, my lord."

Angrier than ever, Ciel pushed him away, appalled at how Sebastian had been able to manipulate the situation. "Don't touch me!"

Sebastian was not wavered by this, replying, "I am sorry. I acted in a manner unsuitable in a public setting. Please punish me as you see fit, later tonight."

Another squeal from the girls.

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It was with no small amount of shame that Ciel walked back to his suite alongside Sebastian that evening. Ever since he'd come to this academy, his ego had received countless beatings, but this beating, in the form of that patronising idiot, was by far the worst.

Attempting to challenge him, Ciel rudely remarked, "What makes _you_ so high and mighty, calling yourself a 'devil type'?"

Without hesitation, Sebastian retorted. "The devil is possibly the only supernatural creature able to torment while still fulfilling the darkest desires of the flesh. Or if you wanted a simpler answer, I am just one _hell_ of a host." As Ciel reached for his door handle, Sebastian cut in and stepped close, their chests almost touching.

"The other reason is that a demon will follow you obsessively, waiting for a chance to pounce on your soul… in that same way, I will be by your side until the very end."

Well and truly petrified, Ciel pushed his door open and scuttled inside. The door slammed shut, and a loud 'click' indicated that it had been locked.

Pale lips curled upwards.

"Good night, little master." He whispered against the door, before returning to his own suite.

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* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for your reviews etc thus far! Please let me know how you thought this chapter went! Was it decent? Did it fail miserably? Did I try to cram too much content into one Lesson?

Oh yeah, **BL** stands for 'boys love', for those who don't know. It's pretty much synonymous with shounen-ai, but is the more recent term.

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[1] I am not gonna bother dreaming up casual clothes for them in this instance…I find it hard to imagine Ash wearing anything but his white butler's uniform.

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**This Lesson's Playlist** is as follows. Go check these songs out! ^^

Adam Lambert – _For Your Entertainment_

Kids of 88 – _Just a Little Bit_

Gackt – _Koakuma Heaven_

Alicenine. – _Rainbows_


	6. Lesson Four

Lesson Four: We've All Got a Problem

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It was a room lavishly decorated with brightly coloured tapestries and wooden carvings depicting various animals and deities; gold glinted off the walls, floor and furniture every evening, in this west-facing suite. It was a room fit for royalty, especially royalty hailing from a foreign land. It should have been teeming with guards and maidservants, dressed as brightly and vividly as the tapestries and drapes. Instead, it was uninhabited save for that one happy boy, all alone, who in the past had spent many sleepless nights on his balcony, watching the stars until they faded with the coming dawn.

In the middle of the grand room, a pile of soft, giant pillows flattened ever so slightly under the weight of Prince Soma. His usually cheerful demeanour was lost to him as he stared out of his expansive window at the horizon beyond.

"You came all the way here, to tell me _that_?" The rhetorical question dripped with resentment.

The tall man behind him gave a low bow. "I am sorry, my prince."

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.

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Adhering to the Hosts' Commandments was, on the most part, a walk in the park for Ciel. He didn't hesitate to show off his talent for playing the violin and the wisdom he had that transcended his age. It went without saying that the one commandment he struggled – rather, _hesitated_ to keep was the third and purportedly most important one. After that one session in which Sebastian had spilled that cup of tea on the ground (on purpose, Ciel suspected) and all the events that transpired from it, Ciel became even more cautious of the older host, avoiding eye contact and conversation with him until he sallied up to the grey-haired boy and _forced_ him into an awkward position (both metaphorically and literally).

What was worse was that every angry reaction he had was received by their audience with blushes and giggles, as if they thought it was _funny_. Nobody ever thought to rescue him from Sebastian's demonic hands.

"Ciel? Ciel? Is something bothering you?" asked Client Number 40. Since he'd had so much trouble remembering their names, Ciel resorted to numbering them as they came (save for Freckles, who remained 'Freckles' in his mind).

His mind returned to the conversation at hand, quickly hiding his annoyance.

"So Ciel, why did you transfer to the academy at Year 11?" inquired Client Number 32. "I mean, why not at the _beginning_ of high school?"[1]

Why, indeed? With no small amount of antipathy, he thought back to his dear Aunt Anne and her desire to have some 'me time'; Aunt Anne, with her prestigious career teaching medical students and medical professors alike; Aunt Anne, who barely knew how to handle herself, let alone her young nephew.

Sighing, Ciel began to relay the story about his Aunt's new job, one that required her to be overseas the majority of the time. He explained his Aunt's wish that he would not be left alone in the estate, due to her guilt that he had been left alone in the past. He spoke of her wanting him to have the best care and education possible while she was away and could not provide these for him. He'd left out the parts about Aunt Anne wanting to see the world and meet handsome young men without having Ciel in tow.

The group of girls had no words with which to respond, moved by his story – all but one girl, Client Number 16, who was in the same year level as Ciel.

"That's odd. There's a girl in my friend's class in a similar situation. She transferred this year too. Skye, I think her name was…"

Ciel choked on his tea.

Client Number 32 chimed in. "Oh, strange! It must be happening a lot these days."

Nodding nervously, Ciel added to the conversation. "Yes! It's become very common lately. _Extremely_ common! It's…er… comforting to know I'm not the only one!"

Words could not explain the relief he felt when the girls believed him, though he couldn't quite understand why their faces transformed so suddenly, from pitying but awed looks to excited blushes.

Pale, slender hands rested on his shoulders, and a gentle but menacing whisper echoed in his ear. "Little master, I've missed you."

Oh. That was why.

A pulse of electricity shot down Ciel's spine. He whipped his head around to glare at Sebastian, who wore his trademark impertinent grin. "Why do you frown at me so? My heart aches to see you upset." He knelt by the side of Ciel's chair and reached a hand out to touch his small face, a gesture that sent the clients into a fit of squeals.

Ciel pushed the hand away, reining in his irritation. "Know your place, Sebastian." he said, playing along.

The red-eyed host seemed not to be expecting this reaction, but he withdrew his hand anyway. He bowed slightly and walked away. Ciel was strangely thankful for the servant-and-master act they had going on. This way he could order Sebastian to back off if needed and still be in canon, and therefore their pea-brained customers would still enjoy the show while Ciel avoided too much unnecessary contact.

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Over at the other side of the room, Joker watched the act while strumming casually on his guitar. He couldn't help but smile watching the petulant addition to the club. The way that red hue would sweep over his porcelain cheeks and his delicate brow would descend upon his big, sapphire blue eye – Ciel looked awfully cute when he lost his temper, although Joker bet that he wouldn't be too happy if he was told so. He seemed to spend a lot of effort making himself look tough and capable and manly. Maybe even the eye patch was just part of the guise…

However, Joker had seldom seen the new host happy. In fact, he was sure that he'd never seen him smile, despite reminding him to do so on many occasions.

His clients sighed happily listening to his absentminded serenade. "You play guitar so well, Joker. Why aren't you studying music? I never thought you were the type to enjoy science and economics."

He stopped playing, a surprised expression on his face. The eyeliner made his wide eyes look even bigger. Admittedly, he _wasn't_ the science and economics type.

"Mixing music up with school is boring. I'd rather think of it as something to share with someone special to me. I want to be the only star in your eyes." Lying through a suave smirk, he traced the nearest client's jawbone with his bony finger, making a gasp catch in her throat.

"You already are," she sighed, falling for his move.

Joker grinned smugly. "Good," he said and continued playing his guitar.

.

In the opposite corner, Ash and Grell, who were presently without guests, sat rather awkwardly together, sipping tea. More exactly, Ash sat awkwardly, while Grell seemed to enjoy himself, draped lazily over the side of his chair.

"You don't need to be so rigid around me, Ash. I don't see you treating the other ladies this coldly~" chided the redhead, raising his teacup to his lips.

"The 'other ladies' do not act so indecent." stated Ash with his arms folded across his chest.

Grell sat up slowly. "My, my. So strict~! You remind me of one of my gardeners…" his words were meant to be teasing but his tone was fondly nostalgic. "Anyway. Where could that little brat be?" he said, bespectacled green eyes wandering the club room.

His gaze settled on the only vacant area in the room. It was already halfway through the session, and still no sign of their Indian member. He hadn't even the courtesy to call someone to alert them to the fact that he was going to be absent from today's club activities. They'd had to deal with his regular customers, trying to reassign them to another host or reimburse them. It was plain to see that Ash and Sebastian were troubled by the inconvenience, as were the disappointed girls.

How dare he, the impudent brat, thought Grell haughtily. Causing Sebastian so much hassle like that, Soma ought to be punished. His darling Sebastian deserved more respect than that.

_His_ Sebastian. He grumpily tried to block out from his mind Sebastian's earlier advance on Ciel. For a newcomer, the boy was receiving a hell of a lot of attention from the black-haired host – attention that he didn't even appreciate. Grell didn't like it one bit, since he once used to experience Sebastian's come-ons more often than the others. Such a popular pairing among the clients they'd been, and Grell was convinced they were meant for each other.

.

Finally, a message arrived. Ciel's phone vibrated in the pocket of his trousers. Excusing himself, he extracted the phone and answered it.

He was greeted with a 'hello' that reeked of the immature cheerfulness that personified Soma.

"How did you get this number?" Ciel hissed into the phone. Was there no such thing as private information anymore?

"May I speak to Sebastian or Ash, pretty please?"

Choosing not to address the fact that he'd been ignored, Ciel trudged over to where Ash was sitting, in the corner with Grell the Red-Haired Rapist, and handed him the phone. The other two watched as Ash spoke with the absent host…or more rightly, as Ash _listened_ to the absent host, giving a low grunt every now and again to indicate that he was still there. After a while, he simply handed the phone back to Ciel, Soma having hung up.

"So…what did he say?" said Joker from the other side of the room, amidst his guitar playing.

Ash sat back in his chair, crossed his legs and brought his thumb and forefinger to his chin in a pinching motion. "It appears that we will have a meeting tonight."

Ciel looked puzzled. "It '_appears'_?"

His question was not given an answer, so he returned to his clients, exasperated.

.

.

.

When Ciel arrived at the club room after school, Soma, Ash and Sebastian were already waiting. None of the three said anything to him as he entered. Ash and Sebastian looked the same as ever, but Soma was somewhat less bubbly today. Joker and Grell soon followed, and the meeting commenced.

Sebastian opened the meeting, thanking the other members for coming despite the inconvenience. He then gave the floor to Soma, saying the young Indian had some important news. The young one moved sluggishly. His lips quivered when he began to explain what had happened.

"My parents sent word to me today. They don't like the fact that I'm part of the Host Club, so they told me I have to leave it."

In all honesty, Ciel sympathised – who would want their child involved with such a preposterous club anyway?

"What's more, they think that they made a mistake in sending me here, so they want me to return to India."

Grell, Joker and Ciel were taken aback. Of all the hosts, in Ciel's opinion, Soma was the nicest, childish and annoying as he was. He wasn't ill-natured or vulgar, nor was he a troublemaker of any sort. What could he have done to warrant such a dire measure?

"Dear me~" cooed Grell. "What sort of trouble did you get yourself into this time?"

"Nothing!" argued Soma. "My parents just changed their mind, that's all." He lowered his gaze to the floor after bitterly mumbling the last sentence. It was unusual to see him so lifeless.

The room was drowned in silence. Ciel loosened his tie and tugged at his wig slightly, feeling stifled. He didn't dare open his mouth, though there were dozens of thoughts rampaging about his mind.

Sebastian was the first to break the silence, as he often was. "I suppose the question at hand is, then, what do you choose to do?"

Soma reluctantly looked into Sebastian's crimson eyes. "I have to go back. My parents said so."

"I don't think you comprehend me. I said, 'what do _you_ choose to do?'" he smiled at Ash, who gave a glare in return. "In all matters concerning your life, there are many factors that influence your decisions. However, the person who has the power to act on these decisions is none other than you, yourself. If you return to your homeland, it is not simply by the persuasion of your parents – it is an action borne of your choosing to obey your parents, is it not?"

The prince stopped to consider this for a moment. As he thought, to his audience it looked as though a veil had been lifted from before his eyes. He allowed himself to gasp at the revelation.

"In that case, I choose to stay here, in England. And I choose to remain in the club."

A low, sarcastic laugh resounded. To everyone's surprise, it was Ash. "Well spoken, Prince Soma. However I cannot tolerate such disobedience from my club members." he said.

"Actually," Sebastian interjected lightheartedly, "Autonomy is a basic human right. He is entitled to make his own decisions."

"Indeed he is, but thanks to _you_, he has made the wrong one." Ash said accusingly. Clearly he did not find this situation half as amusing as his black-haired counterpart found it.

Another silence followed. If Ciel felt stifled a moment earlier, now it was as if there was no oxygen left in the room.

"Enough." breathed Soma. He trembled and there were tears in his eyes, but the rest of him insisted on being angry, balling his fists so tightly his knuckles went white. "You can't make me leave. This is my choice."

He stormed away from the heads of the club, past his fellow hosts, and out the door, curtly slamming it shut.

Shortly afterward, Sebastian called the meeting to a close, ironically gleeful as usual. Ciel had wanted to say something, but again refrained from doing so as he was dismissed along with Grell and Joker. A mixture of reactions came from the other two – confusion, disappointment, irritation. Strolling down the hallway, Joker sulked about being called to the meeting for no apparent reason, seeing as they didn't even have a say. Grell complained about missing his afternoon drama. Halfway down the hall, Ciel decided to stay back, realising that Sebastian and Ash were not following. He bade the redheads a good evening and turned to walk in the direction from whence he came.

.

The short boy stood just outside the door at the end of the hallway, only half-intending to eavesdrop. It amazed him that he could hear the ongoing conversation so clearly.

Sebastian made a noise akin to a chuckle. "I guess we have no choice but to keep him."

Hands slammed down on wood; porcelain rattled.

"You are too much. It is one thing to counsel your underclassmen, but it is another thing entirely to persuade them to go astray." Ash snarled.

"I would not call this 'going astray'. He is merely making his own choices. It is part of the process of growing up." How insolent, thought Ciel, noting the constant undertone of mockery in the devil-host's speech.

"It is disgraceful that you would empower someone more naïve than yourself to disobey his parents! You ought to be ashamed!" reprimanded the white-haired student.

"Perhaps, by showing him the options, I have made him a little wiser. A step towards independence, you could say." Sebastian showed no sign of giving in. "Humans should be in charge of their own lives."

Ash sighed. "Nobody is truly in control of their own life. Though one may walk the tightrope of his own skill and determination, gravity has the final say."

"An uplifting sermon indeed," jested Sebastian.

"Whatever. Be gone with you. I feel dirtied simply being in your presence."

Another quiet chuckle accompanied by footsteps.

.

Ciel pressed his ear to the door, frustrated at not being able to hear anything more than the sound of feet coming closer.

With a creak, said door opened, sending Ciel tumbling into the arms of his tall neighbour.

"Have you been waiting for me, Miss Barnett?" teased Sebastian, watching delightedly as the shorter one's eye widened and cheeks reddened.

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**A/N: **Sorry for the long delay! The new semester has just started and now I'm busier than ever. I'll aim to update approximately every two weeks but if I have assignments due, then obviously those will take priority…

Please **review** and let me know how you found this chapter! Constructive criticism is much appreciated.

Also, to **Alois Phantomhive**, who asked whether or not this is a yaoi SebaCiel story; though I don't want to give away too much, I will say that the two will bond as the story progresses.

[1] The British high school system seems to be similar to the system where I'm from, so I haven't explained it at all… ^^;; Year 11 is the year level you are in when you are fifteen years old, turning sixteen…or fourteen going on fifteen if you've been bumped up a year. I think Year 11 to Year 13 is what one may consider 'high school', with students being aged 15 to 18 or 19.

And no, even I do not know how Sebastian and Soma got their hands on Ciel's number… x_x;;

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Dir en grey – _Jessica_

Miyavi – _Are You Ready to Love?_

Miyavi – _Jikoai, jigajisan, jiishiki kajou _(I imagined Joker playing this on the guitar…oh, if only. XD)


	7. Lesson Five

Lesson Five: We've All Got a Story to Tell

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The sun was just beginning to set as the two hosts made their way back to the residential hall. They walked mostly in silence, one throughout which Ciel could not stop thinking about the conversation he'd just overheard. It was the first time he'd really had evidence of the tension between his upperclassmen (though he'd previously suspected it), plus he still had a lot to say about Soma's actions at the meeting. Now that they were alone, he saw fit to express his opinion.

"You both acted rashly today – you _and_ Soma."

Sebastian gave him a startled look, as if he hadn't been expecting it. Though knowing him, he probably had. Ciel took this look as a sign that he should continue.

"You shouldn't interfere in another family's affairs. You don't know anything about them. And Soma acted too childishly today. He should appreciate that his parents have his best interest in mind, even though they may not fully understand his situation right now."

There was, oddly, no response from the red-eyed boy for quite some time. Then, once they reached their floor, Sebastian finally spoke.

"Everyone has a reason to act the way they do."

Though Ciel stood there staring at him for a while, mouth slightly agape, Sebastian gave a gentle smile and retreated to his own room without even a snide remark.

.

His skirt and blouse lay crumpled in a pile on the floor. His wig rested on a wig stand by the bathroom mirror, which had fogged over ever so slightly. The soothing sound of the shower resonated off the tiled walls. He let the pleasantly warm water cleanse him of his frustrations for the day, and when he stepped out from behind the shower curtain, he left Skye behind and became Ciel…at least, until dinner time anyway. Shaking beads of water out of his hair, he wrapped himself in a towel and flicked the off the ensuite light as he exited.

Ciel walked to his window that led out to his small private balcony, casually wondering how he would spend the evening (paperwork was to be completed, no doubt). Wishing to catch a glimpse of the sun before it set, he raised his head. It was his favourite time of the day, sunset. To see the mix of lavender and pink and orange, the sparse wisps of clouds and that brilliant, burning torch, it put his often troubled mind to rest.

If only the face that greeted him in place of the sun could do that too.

"Se-Sebastian!"

The addressed lifted his hand in a slight wave. Ciel's eye quickly flitted to the latch on the French doors that formed the centre of the window and checked that it was securely locked.

"What are you doing?" the grey-haired boy hissed. "Male students aren't allowed in female students' rooms!"

Sebastian took several steps forward until his face was close to the glass. "I'm not in your room now, am I?"

"Impudent bastard!" Ciel cried, slamming his hand against the glass and making Sebastian step back from it. "Have you no decency?!"

When the older one didn't say anything, Ciel's angry stance faltered. The hand that was still flat against the glass dropped to his side. At length, Sebastian leaned forward again and quietly said, "I'm not the one dressed in nothing but a towel and an eye patch."

Ciel's face went red, realising he was right, and he hastily pulled the curtain closed.

.

He was able to catch the final glimpse of the sun before it disappeared below the horizon. People say it's romantic to watch the sun set with someone beside you, but why could it not have been someone else?

"Soma is the youngest of twenty-six children," Sebastian said from his own balcony adjacent to Ciel's. He ended up retreating back to his balcony after Ciel had gone to get dressed. "When he was young, his parents left him in a private palace with his own servants. They rarely saw him save for special occasions. Instead of spending time with him, they communicated through messengers – not even phone calls – to tell him what to do. Sending him to England was their idea. Though it was against his will, he complied because he's always viewed his parents as a higher power, something akin to god, you could say."

Ciel unwillingly listened, but couldn't help being moved by what he heard.

"You see, Soma's parents don't know him enough to act in his best interest. They do only what allows them to control what he does. In this case, I believe that it is quite appropriate to allow Soma to make his own decisions, wouldn't you say?"

Sighing, the grey-haired boy silently acknowledged the truth in Sebastian's story. Still, he felt uneasy, saying under his breath, "He should be thankful they want anything to do with him at all."

When his neighbour said nothing, he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I'm going to dinner now." He spun on his heels and re-entered his room, closing the doors softly. Sebastian kept his gaze where Ciel had once stood, his eyes forming crescents in a curious smile.

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.

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The school chapel was often unoccupied. It was a shame, he thought. Such simple-minded people couldn't appreciate the ethereal silence or the way the colours of the stained glass windows splashed onto the white marble floor. They couldn't appreciate the reverence one was struck with when in the presence of God. Such shallow, meaningless lives.

He sat on an upholstered pew, staring at the gilded cross towering at the front of the room. The evening sun, filtered into a myriad of different hues, danced upon it. With tender but cold lavender eyes he watched it intently, as if waiting for a saviour to spring forth from it. The person he got instead, however, was far from a saviour.

"What a holy sight," a smirk was heard in that voice. "It makes you look almost angelic."

He furrowed his brows. "What did you come here for, Angela?"

The female student, a splitting image of himself, sat down in the pew next to him. "Oh, Ash. I just came to check up on my baby brother. Is that so wrong?"

Without looking at her, Ash flatly replied, "I'm not your baby brother."

She was only older by two minutes, after all.

"Now, don't give me that sour face," she said, as one would speak to a small child. "Has that freak show you run been giving you strife?"

Ash stiffened, obviously offended by the comment and obviously trying to hide that fact. He looked at the cross again so as not to meet Angela's gaze. "It's a _host club_. And even if it _has_ been troubling me, I do not need your assistance in handling my affairs."

Angela laughed, covering her mouth gracefully with the back of her hand. "So something really happened? My, what a lucky guess! Was it that dashing boy with the black hair again? You two have never seemed to get along."

He growled under his breath, still refusing to make eye contact with his sister. Angela always knew what was wrong. The fact that he wouldn't admit to it meant that she would torment him about it, taking great pleasure in watching him struggle to maintain his dignified composure. There was something about the way she twisted her words, the way she suggested such dark things so innocently, that made Ash's blood boil. He was fully aware that she was far from innocent – the manipulating, calculating wench was on par with Sebastian. She was an angel with a black heart, heralded by others as a saviour but forever being the cause of his distress.

"Brother," she said gently when he'd stood to leave. "You shouldn't be afraid to assert your authority over that scum. Shouldn't you be the one having the final say, O Leader of the Host Club?"

Though he heard the mocking undertone in her voice, he agreed. He didn't make that obvious though as he walked out of the chapel, never looking back.

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It was rather unusual for Ciel to strike up a conversation, but today was proving to be a rather unusual day already. "Soma,"

"Yes, Skye?"

"Do they have telephones in India?"

"Yes, they do."

"What about the internet?"

"Of course they do, Skye."

"Then why is HE here?" Ciel's slender arm extended to point at the tall, turban-clad Indian man standing behind Soma, while the rest of the class was seated at their desks.

The man gave a bow, showing no emotion save for a slight arching of his white brow. He kept his glassy eyes on the ground. Soma blinked a couple of times, his classmate's outburst not quite registering in his head. "What do you mean? He is the messenger, my personal servant Agni. He came to England to deliver my parents' message." The prince gave Agni a pat on the arm, which yielded no reaction from the servant.

Ciel slapped his forehead, as an alternative to tearing his wig off in frustration. "That's exactly what I meant… Is it really necessary to send him here when your parents could have emailed you?"

Soma looked at Agni and then back at Ciel with a confident smile. "Of all the servants in my palace, Agni is the most faithful, and my most trusted. Needless to say, he probably missed me, so he offered to deliver the message personally and escort me back to India."

"But you're not _going_ back to India…isn't that what you said?"

The tanned boy shrugged and sighed in exasperation. "Yeah, I told him that too, but he won't give up. He's been following me everywhere, trying to make me change my mind."

Suddenly, Agni spoke his first words since entering the classroom. "Master Soma! You must reconsider! Think of your parents, I urge you!"

The entire class swung their heads around to stare and gape at the now animated man. Soma's face met with the flat surface of his desk as he groaned. "I told you, Agni, I'm not going back."

Bowing, Agni returned to his former pose, head lowered and lips tightly shut.

Ciel gave a pained smirk. Today would prove to be most unusual.

.

The crowd of students in the café parted amidst a storm of desperate begging and irritated groans. The pair of Indians had been causing quite a stir in the academy, with Agni imploring his master to return home approximately every twenty minutes, and Soma responding with heated protests. Ciel watched with amusement as the two were sent out of every class they'd had that day, and now he watched from his usual table in the café, anticipating the same. Across the table from him, Joker sat, observing the comical scene while playing lazily with his food.

"They've been like this all day?" said the ginger-haired boy, not quite believing it.

Ciel nodded, opting to skip his main meal of sautéed lamb shanks in favour of the tarte aux pommes with whipped cream and blueberry confit. Joker discontinued the conversation and finished his lunch in relative silence, a welcome change for the younger one at the table. The two then left for the club room, hoping to be unnoticed by the preoccupied Indian pair.

The rest of the club members were already present when they arrived. Ciel hurried off to his corner to change into his male uniform. Joker relayed Soma's ordeal to the club. It appeared, however, that the other three weren't ignorant of what was going on – Grell whined that Agni's thundering pleas could be heard even from the campus gardens; Sebastian and Ash, though they didn't contribute any complaints, did not seem surprised by any of the news. Having Agni around would be rather troublesome, especially once their clients arrived. Ash postulated that they would make a loss from Agni's mere presence alone. However, the biggest concern on everyone's minds involved that one boy standing in the corner in a skirt…

Even after the girls had arrived, there was no sign of Soma and his bothersome servant. Perhaps they would not make an appearance today – they _did_ have a lot to sort out between themselves. Ash carried himself with an air of relief, allowing himself to smile but a little, to the delight of his clients. But when the sound of Soma's agitated cries grew louder and louder, the happy faces of the hosts collectively faltered and became awash with horror.

Soma flung the doors open and stomped into the club room, Agni close behind.

"Master, please, I beg you! Return to your home – for the sake of your family!"

"Be quiet, Agni! I have to work now!" Soma barked.

After a moment's pause, Agni mumbled something foreign and bowed. "Jo agya." He eventually fell quiet and returned to being his master's shadow, but when he saw what the prince considered 'work' – when he saw Soma smile sweetly and allow his doting clients to stroke his hair, pinch his cheeks and feed him candy, Agni could not hold it in.

"Master!" he roared, falling to his knees and drawing the attention of everyone there. His face was twisted in anguish and blood trickled from his once placid eyes. "What are you _doing_? Your parents would be heartbroken to see you behave so despicably! This is not befitting of a prince!"

Soma froze. His frightened customers backed away from him, not wanting to provoke his servant. The boy stood and went over to the tall one. Without warning, he gave Agni a slap to the cheek.

With tears in his eyes, Soma screamed, "You don't understand anything! Leave me alone – I never want to see you again!"

The man before him trembled at his master's show of strength and defiance. He hesitated for a moment, but then fled the room, slamming the door behind him.

.

He'd always thought he was acting in the master's best interest. Why had Soma been so angry? He never had any qualms to obeying his parent's orders in the past. He had never said anything so hurtful to Agni in the past, either. The tall man stood awkwardly by the door at the end of the hallway, his heart feeling empty, devoid of a reason to live. What else was there for him, but to serve Master Soma?

"Don't be so upset. Soma always speaks without thinking."

Agni was startled. The person who spoke wore the same uniform as his master, but looked a little older, with devious red eyes but a calm face. Instinctively, Agni bowed to the stranger, whom he recalled had been in the room with them just before.

"My name is Sebastian. I am a member of the Host Club, along with Soma." Sebastian said kindly.

"Master Sebastian," Agni tried, the foreign name sounding peculiar to his ears. "Thank you for taking care of my prince thus far. I am in your debt."

Sebastian raised a hand and shook his head. "Not at all. It seems that we have caused you a great inconvenience."

Agni slumped back against the wall sadly. His glassy eyes were full of grief. "I have been the one who has inconvenienced my master. I thought I was doing what was best for him – I did not expect him to respond with such fury."

The host crossed him arms thoughtfully. "I don't doubt that you thought you were acting in your master's best interest by obeying his parents' orders. But perhaps you neglected to consider that _he_ is the only one who knows what is best for him. Don't you think that your master's happiness and well-being is more important than the orders of parents who do not even remember his face?"

The Indian's eyes widened in astonishment – he'd certainly never considered this before.

.

.

.

The shrill sound of shattering china rang throughout the club room, followed by shocked gasps and mumblings. This, in turn, was followed by a loud, mortified cry:

"WHAT IS HE STILL DOING HERE?"

Ciel stood frozen in place, aghast at the sight of Agni seated awkwardly next to Soma, surrounded by curious clients, and dressed in the Stoneleigh Park Academy uniform.

Soma smiled, jumping to his feet and embracing Ciel, ignoring the broken teacups and saucers at his feet. "Isn't it wonderful, Ciel? Agni let me stay here, and he even enrolled to stay by my side!"

Agni blushed and lowered his head.

The grey-haired boy grimaced. "How did you manage to get a grown man enrolled as a student…?"

All eyes in the room blinked. Ciel immediately began to feel stupid.

"Don't you know, Ciel?" Sebastian said in a mocking tone. "Agni is only two years older than Soma."

The young host's jaw dropped and he opened his unconcealed eye wide. He felt himself fall into non-existence once again. Why didn't anyone ever tell him these things?

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At the table nearby, Joker quietly watched the commotion with a sad smile. What a luxury it was, to have a friend who would forsake everything for you, who understood and accepted you. The smile dissipated soon enough. He lowered his head, veiling his lined eyes with his orange locks.

"How troublesome it is, to have someone be your shadow."

Joker looked up at Ash, whose gaze remained fixed upon the newest addition to the club. The ginger one didn't reply but felt his heart sink, just a little, as he too turned back to watch his fellow hosts.

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**A/N**: I'm so very sorry for the long delay! It's been quite hectic for me lately. I'm in the last semester of my degree, so the stress is piling up alongside other responsibilities and distractions. I'm a third of the way through writing the next chapter though, so hopefully it'll be up soon.

ANYWAY. I've noticed that several people have added me to their alerts, but nobody has really reviewed. I mean, it's flattering to have people want to keep tabs on my story, but it's far more encouraging and useful to me if you review and tell me what you liked/disliked about the fic… So **please review**!

Oh yes. I may have changed Agni's age to suit the story. But then again I changed everyone's ages…

Angela and Ash are twins! Oh dear god! I actually despise Angela in the anime…that and Ash/Angela was really under-developed and so he/she turned out rather lame…hopefully that won't be so in this fanfic.


	8. Lesson Six

Lesson Six: We've All Got Something to Hide

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At half past seven in the morning, Ciel awoke to the sound of his alarm clock. Groggily, he rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. He remained there for several minutes, staring dumbly into the almost-dark before rolling out of the bed to pull his drapes open. He paused, feeling slightly hypotensive from standing up too fast. He allowed his eyes to meet with the sun, squinting at first, but slowly adjusting to the light, then retrieved his embroidered eye patch from his bedside table and tied it securely around his head. He brushed his teeth, put on his wig and uniform, and proceeded downstairs for breakfast. Normally he would call for his breakfast to be delivered to his room, but this morning he found himself bored with his usual surroundings and opted for a change of scenery.

Once he'd finished his breakfast of red tea and freshly baked croissants with peach and brandy preserve, he checked the time according to the clock on the wall of the dining room. Eight fifteen – there was sufficient time to dawdle a little before going to class. He returned to the lobby and was about to head towards the elevators, when his name was called out.

"Skye! I knew I'd find you here!"

He twirled around to meet the once again happy face of Soma. It irritated him that Soma was so gleeful this early in the morning, though admittedly he was relieved that the problem between him and Agni had been resolved.

Soma explained that he had come over from his suite in the males-only residential hall to meet up with Skye and walk to class together. Reluctantly, Ciel allowed the Indian boy to follow him to his suite. They entered the elevator and arrived at Ciel's floor in relative silence, until they were about halfway to Ciel's suite.

"I'm sorry if Agni and I have caused you trouble." Soma said sheepishly, much to the surprise of his classmate.

Ciel turned his surprise into nonchalance, saying, "At least someone cared enough to come all the way here for you in the first place."

Soma dropped his shoulders, his expression softening. He hadn't really thought about that, in all honesty. He had more to be grateful for than he'd realised. Sensing the tiniest hint of resentment in Ciel's voice, Soma said, "Your parents have abandoned you here too?"

The one-eyed boy placed his card key into the slot on his door, turning away from Soma in case his indifferent mask faltered. He said nothing, leaving the prince's naïve curiosity unsatisfied, as he opened the door and entered his room, his classmate following somberly. Soma didn't know the half of it.

Once he heard the door close, Sebastian deemed it safe to walk out into the hallway, emerging from behind his half-open door. He didn't suppose that Ciel would have taken kindly to an eavesdropper, especially when it came to this apparently touchy subject.

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Soma and Ciel were able to sit through their morning classes uninterrupted by boisterous Agni, much to Ciel's delight. Meanwhile, towards the back of the classroom, several familiar faces whispered maliciously. Skye Barnett, with her long, silky, dusk-grey hair, and her big cerulean eyes – she was always seen with the guys from the Host Club, especially Sebastian. She probably thought rather highly of herself. She probably thought she was hot shit.

These girls didn't think so.

Number 15 whined that she'd seen Skye and Sebastian walking to the halls together after class. She wondered what sort of things they did. Number 24, devastated, did not want to think about it, saying it made her sick to her stomach. Yet another girl suggested the notion of Skye 'doing the rounds' with the Host Club, to which the others gasped, taking it for the truth. Number 24 could not stand the thought of her favourite host, Ciel, entertaining the presence of such scum.

After much exaggerated gossip and some deliberation, it was decided. Skye Barnett had to be put in her place. They would teach her a lesson, in the way they knew best.

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Ciel's bag felt unusually heavy when he picked it up from beside his desk after returning from the bathroom. He could have sworn he'd packed his bag lightly today (he often did, due to his frail physique, though he would never admit it to anyone) – now it felt like his bag was full of _rocks_. Soma, oblivious, tried to cheer him up as he trudged down the hallway towards the music room for their violin tutorial. Ciel dragged his feet lethargically as he walked, the weight of his bag crushing him like a ton of bricks.

"What's the matter, Skye?" Soma enquired worriedly. Just a moment ago, Ciel was not this sluggish, even though he was normally not the bubbliest of characters.

Lips pulled taut in a pained grimace, Ciel mumbled, "Nothing, it's nothing."

Ahead of them, Joker spotted the pair and dashed toward them, his arms full with a stack of books.

"Skye! I was looking for you!" puffed the older student. He thrust the pile of books in Ciel's face. "These are yours. I found them in a bush just outside. Is your bag ripped or something?"

Puzzled, Ciel reached out to take the books, which were definitely his. Then…what was in his bag? It was most certainly full – he was sure of it.

He dropped his bag on the floor, watching as it landed with a thud. He kneeled down and opened the bag, eye widening as numerous tennis ball-sized rocks met his gaze.

Soma chuckled. "You do strange things in your spare time, Skye!"

Joker looked concerned. Was this some kind of prank? Who would want to do something like this? He watched an expressionless Ciel tip the rocks out of his bag, place his books inside, and pick it back up. After mentioning that they were late for class, he went on his way with Soma by his side.

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Number 15 and her friends looked pale when Skye pulled a book from her bag. They exchanged nervous glances for but a second, before their violin tutor entered the room and the students went to retrieve their violin cases. Soon enough though, nervous glances turned into quietly confident smiles, as the girls watched Skye about to open her case.

She took the two clasps between her thumbs and forefingers, poised to open them. A soft click, and then she lifted the lid and responded to the sight with two blinks of her eye.

"How troublesome." she muttered to herself.

Troublesome, indeed. Ciel's violin was nestled in its case, plain and ordinary, except that all its strings had been cut quite inconsiderately, and his bow, hacked in two, appeared strangled and pitiful, like a stripped, broken bone.

The grey-haired boy was certainly intelligent enough to figure that this was done intentionally, but he could not fathom whose bad side he'd gotten on. His classmates didn't know him well enough to hold anything against him, right?

…Right?

An unexpectedly gentle hand touched his shoulder.

"Miss Skye," pronounced the clear voice of Agni, "For being a companion to the prince, I offer you this humble gift as a token of my gratitude." The Indian held out an open violin case. Sitting inside the plush interior was a gilded violin. As Ciel received the case into his hands, the gold glinted in the light.

"Please cherish it," Agni began, bowing as usual. "It has been passed down through many generations in my Master's family. Sadly…" he glanced over at the young prince, who, as if on cue, knocked a cello off its stand in the opposite corner of the classroom. "Master Soma is not one to take care of his things, so we decided to give this to somebody who would."

Ciel stared at his gift, and after a long, speechless moment, he politely thanked the older student, not sure what to make of this fortunate occurrence.

.

.

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The lunch break could not have come sooner. It made him uncomfortable to think such a thing, but Ciel couldn't help but wonder if someone in his class had a vendetta against him. All throughout the day, he ran into inconvenient or embarrassing situations. He'd entered one of his classes to find photos of Skye (obviously Photoshopped) posing in various lewd positions, wearing cheap, trashy outfits (or nothing), scattered around the classroom. Even worse, after leaving the restroom, somebody had discreetly attached a sanitary pad (it looked like it had been used – he didn't dare check) to the hem of his skirt. Ciel had never felt more ashamed in his life.

Now, standing in line at the café, he eyed the day's menu with the hope that a good dessert would take his mind off things.

Cherry clafoutis. That was adequate, thought Ciel. He did feel like something warm and custardy to comfort his bruised pride. All the while, he was oblivious to the fact that Number 15 stood in front of him in the line, poised with a glass of iced chocolate in her hand; ready to drench Skye Barnett in it at any moment.

Before Ciel could reach the counter, where a slice of warm clafoutis awaited him, Grell cut in front of him, flashing his usual razor-sharp grin at the grey-haired boy. "I hope you don't mind letting your senior go first," he said with a flourish. "I'm so very hungry, after all—"

_SPLASH._

Grell spun around to face Number 15, whose blood drained from her face the second she realised what she'd just done. Being the diva he was, Grell made sure she never heard the end of it. His beautiful hair! His pristine uniform blazer! Tears welled up in his eyes when he grabbed the end of his red locks to brush away clumps of whipped cream and cocoa powder from it. Number 15 must have wanted to die at that instant, as she apologised profusely, insisting it was an accident, while Grell continued bantering at the top of his lungs.

Ciel sighed and hesitantly interjected, ordering Grell to calm down, and politely telling Client Number 15 to be more careful next time, much to her embarrassment.

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Client Number 24 typed furiously at her laptop. It was technically against school policy to allow laptops in the café, but pulling a few strings here and there always worked for the wealthier students. Number 15 and the others approached the table with their lunches. All their faces were pale and lifeless, especially Number 15's. To have soiled one of their beloved hosts, and to be told off by the very bitch they'd set out after – what a disgrace!

For all her knowledge in the area of computers, Number 24 was no good at hacking. That, or the school had excellent security. Whatever it was, she simply couldn't find a way to access Skye Barnett's record.

"Annoying, isn't she? That Skye girl."

The girls looked up at the male student who'd approached them. He returned the gaze with piercing eyes.

"You don't know the half of it," one of the girls said under her breath, not wanting to be heard by passers-by.

The boy gave a chuckle that sounded pure and joyful. "You don't need to go to the trouble of hacking into the school's network," he said. "Here,"

He handed Number 24 a folded piece of paper and walked away.

Number 24 opened the folded note and skimmed over it. It appeared to be a print-out of Skye's student record, with extra handwritten footnotes at the bottom. The girls gathered around her to read. Their eyes widened in unison, and they exchanged confident smirks. This was the information they needed.

"Your secret's out, Skye Barnett. Let's see how high and mighty you are _now_."

.

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He mashed his caramelised leeks idly, having finished his dessert as well as Grell's (he'd left early to change his blazer and wash his sticky, chocolaty hair). There really was no point for Ciel to linger in the café anymore. It was almost time to open the doors of the club, and he had yet to change into a male uniform. The one-eyed boy stabbed a stray cherry from his dessert and put it into his mouth before leaving the crowded café.

Sebastian and Ash were already at the club room when he entered. The former sat casually on one of the couches while his classmate sifted through some paperwork at a nearby table. Shortly afterward, Joker arrived, then Soma with Agni in tow. Finally, Grell materialised from behind one of the ornate cabinets, wearing a spare (clean) blazer and sporting just-washed, slightly damp hair. Ciel approached the red-eyed student on the couch, who held out his male uniform. There wasn't much time, so while the other hosts prepared for the hour ahead, Ciel, confident with his stealthy uniform-changing ability, took off his blazer and began to undo the buttons of his blouse, right there in front of them.

"My, my," Sebastian cooed. "Isn't this quite a show of bravery?"

Ciel grimaced. "Shut up. I'm only doing this because I'm in a hurr—"

The sound of the door being flung open, then the gasps of Number 24 and her clique, echoed throughout the room.

One could not begin to imagine the horror that shot through the girls' spines when they were greeted with the sight of that insolent Skye, shamelessly undressing, while their beloved Sebastian sat there watching her.

That was the final straw. Number 24 couldn't take it anymore. She stormed over to Skye and gave her a sharp slap across the cheek. "You slut!"

Ears ringing, Ciel dazedly prodded at his injured face. Number 24 wasted no time in continuing. "You think you can just come in here and seduce the Host Club? You think you're so pretty and wonderful and all that? I bet your parents didn't think that when they _abandoned_ you!"

He froze at that word.

Number 24 smirked. "That's right. I looked up your student record." she said, folding her arms smugly. Her posse assumed similar stances behind her. "We _know_ your parents left you when you were a kid. What happened? Did your dad find out he wasn't the father? Were you just such a pain that they didn't want you anymore? I'll bet the Baroness isn't even your blood relative – she probably just adopted you 'cos it was the 'in' thing to do back in those days!"

The boy couldn't move. He clutched tightly onto his own blouse, knuckles turning white.

The other girls decided to join in.

"You like to think you're so high and mighty, but you're just a bastard-child!"

"I'll bet your mother had you to make your father stay with her; when he left anyway, she realised you weren't worth the trouble."

"What a whore~"

"The father must have been such an idiot, too~"

Ciel's head spun. Their acrid words became tangible, searing his skin and smouldering away at the flesh beneath. He had never known what it was to have one's blood boil, until now. The rest of the room disappeared – all he saw now were the lips from which spewed those vile words. How badly he wanted to tear them apart.

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_NOBODY calls my parents such things._

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He lunged at her, his skinny arm outstretched, fingers seeking blood, when suddenly…his world went dark. His arms were restrained, held close to his body. A warmth he had never known radiated around him.

Ciel struggled against the arm that had bundled him up and pinned his own arms to his sides. Freeing one hand, he violently pulled Sebastian's blazer away from his face, resting the collar on top of his wigged head.

"That was not very ladylike of you, Miss Barnett." Sebastian said quietly. He didn't release his hold.

Number 24 and her friends were flabbergasted. "Why are you defending that _bitch_, Sebastian?" hissed Number 15, pointing a finger for dramatic effect.

"That's funny," Joker butted in, "The only bitches I see here are huddling in a group in the middle of the room."

Soma giggled at the remark, as Agni simply frowned.

Ash stood up from his seat and looked at them sadly. "How repulsive. It's unfortunate that we have a policy against offending our clients."

The other members were in disbelief. The girls, on the other hand, had almost regained their composure, when Ash began speaking again.

"That is why your memberships have hereby been terminated. You are no longer welcome at the Host Club."

"Not to mention," said Grell, twirling, "It's a serious breach of school rules for students to access another student's record. You'll be hearing from administration soon~" Inching his face closer and closer to Number 24's, he puckered his lips and blew her a kiss.

The girls had no rebuttal. They left in haste, heads lowered to hide their anger and embarrassment. When they left, Soma ran to the door and waved after them cheerfully. "And don't come back!" he yelled as they disappeared down the hallway.

Ash sat down once more and gathered his paperwork together. "We will file the complaint promptly. I will not tolerate my clients breaking school rules, nor will I tolerate them abusing one of my hosts." he said sternly, and loud enough for all the hosts to hear.

It took some time for Ciel to notice that he was still in Sebastian's arms, with his blazer draped on top of his head. He slapped the older one's hand away as if it was diseased, and disposed of the blazer in the same fashion. "Don't touch me." He snarled at Sebastian. The other members stared at the two uncomfortably, before Joker had the courage to speak.

"Come on, Kiddo. Chin up. Show the world that smile of yours." he gave Ciel a pat on the back.

And when the Host Club was in session, he did show the world that smile. That carefree, gentle smile he only showed because he had to. If any of the hosts had paid attention, they would have noticed the apathy lacing his words, the resentment tainting his laughter, and the emptiness in his unconcealed eye.

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He sprinted down the hallway again, the carpet stinging his feet as it turned molten. The sound of crackling embers was deafening and he found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't ignore it. And then, above the noise of his slowly collapsing home, a sweet voice echoed. He felt its breath on his neck, silky and cool on the scorched skin.

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"_We're not sorry_, _Son._"

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"_That's a lie!_" he screamed into the abyss before him.

It was a lie, he knew it was, but it felt so real. Wiping the tears from his face roughly, he turned tail and ran in the opposite direction, into the arms of that girl. He looked up at the glasses hiding what he knew were vicious but kind eyes.

"_Let's go, I'll take care of you_." she said in a raspy voice. "_The guys are waiting_."

He let her usher him away, reveling in the soft comfort of her embrace. They walked further and further, until soon the sound of the burning house was but a whisper on the breeze.

Abruptly, she stopped walking. Kneeling down so that they were face-to-face, she sighed sadly. She raised her hand and brought it to his face, to brush away the blood-caked hair that covered his right eye.

"_Stop_." he commanded icily, grabbing her wrist and forcing it back.

She gave him that clueless stare that she always gave him. Reflected in her spectacles, he saw his face, battered and bruised. He saw his scarred, disfigured body, the skin discontinuous, sometimes giving way to pulsing muscle and gleaming white bone. He saw the gash in his chest, spurting forth blood as if it was his very heart that had been cut open.

Behind her, he caught a glimpse of red. That woman was late, as always, but she tried to pretend she'd been there all along. Then, she tried to pretend that she could see those weeping gashes. They _both_ pretended.

He took a step away from the woman and the girl, breathing shallowly. With one hand he covered his wounded heart, and with the other, his eye.

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_Some things simply cannot be mended._

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"_You can't save me_." he said softly, falling backwards into the darkness, through the dissolving floorboards, down, and down. He didn't cry for help as he had before; he didn't try to save himself. Perhaps this was what he was fated to, this eternal darkness…

.

.

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Ciel was roused to attention with a gentle tap on the shoulder.

"Skye, if you really must fall asleep, please inform me in advance so I don't waste my time tutoring the wall." Sebastian whispered into his ear.

He sat up in his chair and looked around the study room. There was nothing to be heard but the rustling of pages and the low murmur of students discussing homework and the like. It was no wonder that he fell asleep. His neighbour eyed him with his usual smile.

"Perhaps I should escort you to your suite. It seems there's no learning to be done at this hour."

Ciel glanced at the clock. Midnight. He couldn't believe people could stay up studying to this time. He picked up his books drowsily, with only his soft, warm bed on his mind now.

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From behind the bookcases, shrouded in the shadows, lips curled into a smile.

"What a pretty little subject we've found." the lips mused.

There was a silent nod in reply.

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**A/N**: Thank you so much, everyone who submitted reviews! It's so encouraging to read them and it really does motivate me to keep writing! TuT

Apologies for the language in this chapter! I felt it was necessary to bring across the vulgar nature of the girls. Apologies too, for the girls themselves. I personally dislike OCs – I only used the girls here because there really wasn't anybody else. Hopefully it won't happen again!

The Ciel in this chapter kind of impressed me…I mean, he managed to dress himself and brush his own teeth! Canon Ciel would be awestruck… LOL no, I love canon Ciel just the way he is.

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Hypotension = low blood pressure. So a hypotensive feeling is the dizziness you get when you stand up suddenly from a sitting/lying position. Thought it would be more interesting a word than 'dizzy'.

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Mike Posner – _Cooler than Me_

Ancafe – _Ese Uranai_

Nightmare – _The Last Show_

Lady GaGa – _Paparazzi_


	9. Lesson Seven

Lesson Seven: Life is but a Dream

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"Goodnight, little master." Sebastian said pleasantly as Ciel opened the door of his suite. Just as the boy was about to go inside, he was stopped by the red-eyed one. He held out a small, square tin.

"For your troubles today." he explained, after Ciel had accepted the offering. Sebastian had no idea of the troubles he'd seen today.

Once safely in his room, Ciel took a closer look at the tin, giving it a shake to determine the contents. When he heard rattling, he lifted the lid and peered inside. He picked up one of the boiled sweets inside and compared it to the picture on the tin. Tea-flavoured candy from France – Ciel was mildly impressed. Two of his favourite things rolled into one. Though he figured Sebastian was just being patronising, he couldn't deny how thoughtful the gift was. Holding back a smile, Ciel placed the tin on his bedside table and prepared himself for bed.

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Although he knew it was bad practice to eat after brushing one's teeth before bed, the temptation was too great. Sitting up from under his duvet, Ciel lifted the lid of the tin, which sat next to his music box on the bedside table, and picked out one of the round, sugar-dusted drops. He popped it into his mouth and savoured the semi-sweet, almost bitter flavour before lying back down and drifting slowly to sleep.

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The air was heavy, and even the breeze was sweltering. It was so hot that he'd even had to discard his wig. This was not the right day to be studying out-of-doors, but Sebastian insisted on it anyway. Perhaps this was punishment for falling asleep during their last informal tutoring session. What was worse, Ciel had had little sleep the previous night. It could have been that he'd slept during the tutorial, or it could have been those damned tea-candies Sebastian gave him. That, combined with the blistering heat, made it a struggle to keep his eye open and his mind focused on the lesson at hand.

He'd never noticed that Sebastian wore glasses. They suited him well, made him look more mature and civilised. Ciel was impressed. The stray strands of hair that he'd tucked behind his ear completed the elegant look.

"I wish you'd pay attention to your work instead of admiring my dashing good looks."

Ciel snapped out of his daze and, after only a second's confusion, went into angry-mode. "I'd be wide awake by now if you hadn't given me those candies last night!" he pouted and turned his head away, nose in the air. "And you're a _horrible_ tutor!"

Sebastian chuckled sheepishly. "No," he said, lowering his head in uncharacteristic meekness. "I'm just a deer."

Ciel whipped his head back around and to his horror, in the place of Sebastian's head was the head of a deer.

Another timid chuckle, and Sebastian lifted the deer head off. "Well then," he began. "It's almost time. Shall we be off?"

The question surprised him. "Where are we going?"

"The town house, of course. You have important matters to attend to, little master." Sebastian took off his glasses and tucked them into the inside pocket of his jacket, which Ciel saw was not the Stoneleigh Park Academy uniform blazer, but a simple black tailcoat. He took a moment to inspect his upperclassman, whose attire made him look like a butler.

"Your coat, little master." Sebastian announced before placing a heavy coat on Ciel's shoulders. Despite the heat, he felt great security wearing it. The taller one bowed and gestured with his hand for Ciel to lead the way.

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The town house was not as he remembered it to be. Elephants and tigers wandered the grounds leisurely, kicking up no small amount of dust. Vendors selling exotic fruit littered the front entrance. All this, along with the hustle and bustle created by avid shoppers, made his once-stately town house look like a marketplace. Soma burst forth from the main door with Agni by his side.

"Ciel! You finally visited me!" he ran over to his classmate and gave him a tight hug.

The grey-haired boy struggled against the tight embrace. "What the hell are you clowns doing here? And what of all _this_?" he pointed at the traders and zoo animals on the front lawn.

The Indian boy laughed heartily. "Don't you remember? You left me in charge! I am the dutiful steward of your London house."

Ciel rubbed his temple irritably. "Let's just go, Sebas—"

He looked around. His butler was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is that stupid demon…?" he muttered under his breath.

"That stupid _what_?" said Soma.

He stammered, only just realising what he'd said. "I'm…I'm not really sure."

Soma invited him indoors to escape the heat, suggesting that maybe Sebastian had gone to the kitchen to prepare a snack for them. Once inside, they were met with the pungent aroma of spices. The interior had been redecorated and the walls were now lined with paintings depicting various Hindu gods and mythological heroes. Somehow this was to be expected, given the chaos outside.

Still, there was no sign of Sebastian. They sat together in the guest room as Agni served them cups of tea. Soma chatted away about this and that, while Ciel gazed indolently out the window. Through his half-lidded eye, he spotted a pair of soft, long, white ears poking out from a bush just below the windowsill.

How curious. He left his seat and shuffled towards the window to take a closer look. The ears twitched under Ciel's scrutiny, and the rabbit popped out from the bush…except that the rabbit _wasn't_ a rabbit. Instead, the rabbit was, in fact, Sebastian. Ciel took a stunned step backward.

Sebastian pulled a pocket watch the size of his face from his tailcoat and flipped it open. He pushed his spectacles up his nose with a slender, gloved finger. "Oh dear me, it's that time already."

Ciel opened the window and opened his mouth to demand to know what Sebastian thought he was doing. However, he was hushed by the rabbit-butler who smiled and simply said, "I can't talk now, I'm late." and hopped away.

"Wait!" Ciel cried. Without thinking, he jumped out the window and ran after him.

He didn't know that butlers sporting rabbit ears and oversized pocket watches could run so fast. Thankfully, although he huffed and puffed as he ran around the garden, he didn't feel the least bit tired. At last, he caught sight of a white, fluffy tail and polished black shoes disappearing behind a tree. Ciel leapt after it, but in his fervor he didn't notice the large tree root that stood menacingly in the way of him and his upperclassman.

Before he knew it, he had tripped and was falling, as he often did – down, down, down…

.

It felt like forever before he finally landed again, awkwardly, in an expansive net. His stomach lurched.

"Oi, you! That was shabby!"

Ciel looked around to find the source of the familiar voice. From the net suspended in mid air, he saw Joker, feet planted firmly on the ground below, staring angrily at him. The costume he wore was bright and flamboyant, and painful to look at. In one hand he held a whip and in the other…

That was odd. Ciel knew Joker had bony hands, but not to the extent where they were nothing _but_ bone…

A crack of the whip brought Ciel back to attention. "If you don't perfect that lame excuse for a tightrope walk, consider yourself booted out of my circus!"

He blinked a couple of times. Circus?

Joker sighed. "I'm not mad at you, Smile," he said. "But if you're not up to scratch by tomorrow, we'll have to find a replacement for you." he shook his head sadly.

Ciel nodded, feeling dazed and empty in the head. He crawled off the net and climbed the adjacent ladder up to the tightrope. He'd never been the most nimble child. How on earth did he end up in a circus? (And since when did Joker start calling him 'Smile'?) He stood nervously on the small platform grasping a parasol he'd found, and opening it carefully. He took meagre, tentative steps onto the wire, one foot gingerly in front of the other, stopping whenever he wobbled ever so slightly.

Sweat trailed down the side of his face. It hurt to swallow. There was no way he could make it to the other side. No way. But for the sake of his pride, he kept going, slowly, awkwardly, reminding himself to never look down. When he paused for a second to catch his breath, his trembling ankles gave way, and he was jerked off the wire abruptly. Squeezing his eye shut, Ciel braced himself to land in the net again. But instead, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back, and he returned to his original position on the tightrope.

Ciel didn't have a chance to remain puzzled, when suddenly he was hit many more times with this stabbing pain, all over his back and sides, as he walked steadily across the wire. Somehow, every time he slipped, he was struck with that same pain, and he would return to a stable stance again.

Once he'd climbed down the ladder and shuffled towards Joker, his feet adjusting to being on solid ground again, the former simply laughed.

"It was a bit scary to watch, but I guess it'll do." he then said to Ciel, ruffling his hair fondly. "It'd be nice to see you smile though, Smile. You could learn a thing or two from Black." Joker motioned behind Ciel before pacing out of the tent, his bone-fingers tapping at his side as if they had a life of their own.

Ciel turned on his heels to face 'Black', or rather, Sebastian, with a none-too-impressed scowl. Sebastian's reply was an oblivious grin, though the boy knew he was anything but. He bent down and picked up several small pebbles that Joker had not noticed.

"Do you _mind_?" said Ciel huffily, thrusting the handful of pebbles at Sebastian's face. "I'm going to be bruised all over!"

His red-eyed companion's smile didn't falter, as he plunged a gloved hand into his coat pocket and extracted millions of tiny pebbles, confirming Ciel's accusation. "Even so, I managed to keep you upright on the high-wire, did I not?"

Ciel frowned and looked away, mindful of his defeat but not wanting to admit it.

Sebastian pulled out his pocket watch again and took note of the time. With dynamism he shut the watch and clapped his hands once. "At any rate, time does fly. I have prepared elevenses for my little master and his guests."

"Guests…?" Ciel's voice trailed off as he walked almost involuntarily past Sebastian to an opening in the circus tent. Sebastian bowed low as Ciel glided by.

.

Ciel was led (or, more rightly, he led _himself_) to a small garden just outside the circus grounds. In the middle of the garden was a table on which four places were laid out. Oddly, only one seat was occupied. Two rag dolls lay on top of the other two plates; one with a mole below its left button-eye, and one with long, golden hair. The one sitting at the table was Ash, wearing a white suit, with downy white feathers stuck in his hair.

Without acknowledging his guest, Ciel sat himself down in the last unoccupied seat as Sebastian appeared with an ornate dining cart and proceeded to pour tea for all four at the table.

A loud revving noise sounded, causing Sebastian to spill hot tea just millimetres from Ciel's hand. Before Ciel could scold Sebastian, another noise – no, a voice – sounded, and long, spindly arms wrapped in red sleeves grabbed the butler from the side.

"Sebastiaaaaaaaaaaan~!"

Sebastian held the teapot above his assailant's head and emptied the contents. Grell let out a cry of agony, hands fanning his scalded head frantically.

"Mister Sutcliff, please return to the gardening and refrain from disturbing the little master and his guests." said Sebastian in a voice so level, one wouldn't believe he had just tipped a pot of boiling water on Grell's head.

The green-eyed one wrung the tea out of his red hair. "Fine, but first, I will be taking back my things." he strutted to the dolls on the table and eyed Ciel with a toothy grin. Those teeth were even more shark-like than the boy recalled. In one clean motion, he swiped the dolls from the table and pocketed them in his long, red trench coat.

"These belong to me~" Grell chirped darkly. He pranced away to a nearby hedge and began to trim it with a chainsaw that he'd pulled out of nowhere.

Ciel stared at the now empty places. Somehow, it made him sad.

Ash cleared his throat, turning Ciel's attention back to tea. Sebastian had laid out a platter of assorted tarts and miniature cakes. The boy felt his stomach growl. It had been a long time since he'd eaten such nice snacks – Aunt Anne was a bit of a health nut.

He made eye contact with his guest, but no verbal contact. This, he felt, was quite commonplace. Though the feathers in Ash's hair were peculiar, Ciel didn't feel obligated to inquire. He didn't need to, when out of thin air popped a tiny angel, no bigger than Ciel's own hand. She looked exactly like Ash, only with bigger eyes, and she wore a long gown of white feathers. He watched in wonderment as she flew several laps around Ash, giggling like she was on helium. Every time she flapped her wings, a few feathers would fall and land on the stoic one. He took no heed of the angel, calmly sipping his tea. When it seemed that she couldn't have his attention, the little angel picked up a desert fork from the table and hurled it at the white-haired boy's head.

Ciel's hand flew to cover his mouth. He couldn't believe what he'd just seen.

Ash removed the fork from his eye as if nothing had happened. He set it down next to his tea on the table and looked at Ciel. "Is there a problem?"

"Your eye! Is it okay?"

The white-haired one smiled. "Is yours, O wretched one?"

He was taken aback hearing the retort. His hand once again moved to his face, this time to tug at his eye-patch. Sebastian briskly walked past him, toward Ash. Ciel forgot he was standing there. The black-clad butler stood tall next to Ash, casting a shadow on the latter's stark white attire. He looked down his nose at the guest.

"I believe you are due to take your leave, Mister Landers."

It was half-expected for an argument to ensue, but none did. Ash stood from his chair in one swift motion and Sebastian escorted him out of the garden. Ciel watched them leave, until he could no longer see them. He wrinkled his nose and picked up his tea cup, but noticed a mirror that was not there before. Lifting it tentatively, the grey-haired boy gazed into his reflection for a time, before his hand went to the back of his head to untie his eye-patch. When he saw in the mirror what was underneath the black silk, he reeled back in horror. The orb that stared back at him was a dull shade of purple, save for an inverse pentacle that appeared to have been carved into the pupil, exuding an unearthly glow.

Was this _his_ eye?

"Oh dear, little master. You didn't actually listen to that man, did you?"

Ciel looked furiously up at Sebastian. "What is _this_?" he hissed, pointed at his right eye.

The smiling butler knelt and took Ciel's hands in his. He stroked them reassuringly, and even though Ciel hated being touched, he didn't react. "Close your eyes, little master."

"You didn't answer my—"

"Please close your eyes." Almost immediately after he said this, he used his hand to cover Ciel's eyes. Ciel felt sleep creeping upon him. Vaguely, he felt himself being bundled up and carried away, bridal-style. He heard birds chirping and grass rustling underfoot, as Sebastian took him out of the garden.

Then, he felt himself slip out of wakefulness, his body and mind exhausted.

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.

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When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his suite at Stoneleigh Park Academy, with the bitter taste of tea in his mouth.

"A dream?" he mused.

Narrow slits of sunlight bled through opening between the curtains and onto his bed – it couldn't be this late in the day already, could it? He checked the time on his phone – it was half-past nine. Class started thirty minutes ago!

Ciel jolted upright and clambered off the bed, grabbing his eye-patch on the way to the ensuite. He simultaneously brushed his teeth and hair, and then donned his wig whilst washing his face. He slipped off his nightshirt and slipped on his wig and uniform.

His shoes were barely on his feet when he rushed out his door and ran straight into Sebastian.

Ciel wanted to kick the older student. "Idiot! As if I wasn't late enough!"

Sebastian gave an amused chuckle, but didn't offer Ciel any help. The boy ran past him and had almost reached the elevator when Sebastian called out to him:

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"Skye, today is a Saturday."

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* * *

**A/N:** The crack chapter! Even though I tried to use a bit of symbolism and stuff, this still is just a dream. I just wanted to write it as a tribute to the canon, and I wanted to fit "No, I'm just a deer" into the story somehow. XD

Poor Grell has been having a lot of drinks spilled on his hair! And Ciel thinking it's a school day. Admittedly, I've been guilty of waking up late in the weekend and panicking about missing lectures…

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**This Lesson's Playlist** consists entirely of D! (For some reason I always associate Asagi with Sebastian.)

D – _Yami no Kuni no Alice_

D – _Akaki Hitsuji ni Yoru Bansankai_

D – _Mad Tea Party_


	10. Lesson Eight

Lesson Eight: Life's a Beach 

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It took all the strength he could muster to stop himself from collapsing into a heap on the floor right then and there.

"S-Saturday…" he stuttered. His face began to feel hot.

Sebastian's footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing louder, and stopped just behind him. He waited for a snide comment from the black-haired boy, but there was just silence. That was strange. By now his neighbour should have been able to deliver at least one condescending remark. Curious, Ciel turned to study him. On his lips sat an amused but pompous smirk.

"Yes, Saturday." said the smiling one. "Not a day on which I would opt to wear my uniform."

Ciel took notice of Sebastian's casual white shirt and fitted black jeans. He clutched the hem of his uniform skirt with embarrassment and gritted his teeth. Those damned tea-candies…

Sebastian mentioned that the Host Club was meeting at the club room in several minutes and instructed Ciel to change into something less formal while he waited outside the boy's door. Ciel reappeared wearing a denim skirt and a black long-sleeved tee, on which skulls were printed in silver. Such a juvenile dress-sense; Sebastian held back another smirk.

.

"The weather is pleasant for once today," announced Sebastian with a wide smile. "So why don't we all do something fun?"

Grell suggested a group shopping spree; Soma wanted to hire out an ice cream parlour for the day; Agni thought a relaxing walk in the botanic gardens would suffice; Joker proposed a trip to a theme park or carnival (Ciel twitched at this particular suggestion).

"As a matter of fact, the forecast for this weekend is promising. I thought it may be interesting to do something new for a change…Like camping."

Ciel's jaw dropped. "CAMPING?"

The other members were abuzz with excitement. Ciel scoffed at how American camping was, and how superfluous, since each of them owned at least one holiday home where they could spend the weekend comfortably. Sebastian explained that camping was an activity loved by the common people, and that it taught children basic survival skills.

"Skills that _every_ well-rounded person should be familiar with." he added, looking directly at the grey-haired boy.

Joker acknowledged that it would be a good opportunity to bond as a club, especially with their two newest members. The others, excluding Ciel, nodded in agreement.

.

.

.

Ciel watched Ash as he stared out the window of the minibus. "I can't believe even _he_ agreed to this." he mumbled.

A chuckled came from Joker. "Ash was the one who offered a campsite for us. It's _his_ family's private beach. That's why the bus has the Landers family crest on it."

As it appeared, the entire club was happy with the notion of spending a weekend living in tents and showering out in the open. Everybody, except Ciel. He had certainly never deemed himself the outdoors type – although he was far from overweight he was definitely out of shape, and he found that neither insects nor pollen had ever really agreed with him. He cringed at the memory of one particular picnic he'd had with Aunt Anne, the memory of the ants and the bees and the ducks…

.

On the plus side, he would be able to wear male attire the entire weekend (although he'd had to pack a skirt and his wig to stay on the safe side).

.

The minibus slowed as it turned into a long dirt road. It had only been an hour since they'd left the academy, so Ciel was surprised that they had arrived already. He didn't know they were so close to the seaside.

A party of Landers servants was awaiting their arrival. One servant stepped forward and opened the door, allowing Ash to step off the minibus first. The servant bowed and then offered him a glass of lemonade. "Master Ash, it is of utmost importance to remain hydrated in these hot, dry conditions."

Ash nonchalantly accepted the glass as the rest of the host club stepped out. Joker, Soma and Grell were clearly awed by the servitude of the Landers staff. The servant welcomed each of them by name and offered them a cold beverage; "Master Sutcliff, welcome. I take it your mother's career has been successful as of late… Master Michaelis, please enjoy your stay… Prince Soma, and Master Agni, I hope this trip will enrich your experience of England… Master Kelvin, do send your regards to the Baron on the Landers family's behalf…"

When Ciel alighted, the servant's eyes grew wide. He dropped his poise and stammered for a brief moment, before forcing out the words; "Earl Phantomhive, it is an honour to have you here."

.

And suddenly, all eyes were on him. Did that servant just say _Phantomhive_?

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Ciel shifted his weight uncomfortably from one leg to the other. He wasn't used to being so openly stared at by so many people. He muttered a vague word of acknowledgement to the servant, who handed him the remaining glass of lemonade and took his leave. A silence settled upon the host club, much like the calm before a storm.

"You're _the_ Ciel Phantomhive?" Joker gaped.

"OH. EM. GEE~!" Grell said with exaggerated mouth movements and flailing hands.

Soma's eyes sparkled. "I've heard of you! My parents would always order stuff from your company for me!"

"It seems that Master Ciel is full of surprises," mused Agni, thinking back to when he'd realised that Skye was, in fact, Ciel (for the sake of saving face he'd opted not to show any reaction, as the last time he showed one, Master Soma fired him).

Sebastian spoke from behind the star-struck hosts. "Earl Ciel Phantomhive, head of the Funtom Corporation. Both a noble and a business tycoon – your company dominates the toy industry and is also causing quite a stir in the confectionery and food industries. You have even received a Royal Warrant for your range of ethnic foods, have you not?"

Ciel looked annoyed. "I've been in this club since the beginning of the term! You didn't even know my last name? !" he cried.

Ash scoffed at this comment. "It would shame my ancestors if I was not aware of the most prominent figures of the nobility."

Meanwhile, the other hosts confessed their ignorance. "I had no idea…"

"Neither…"

"Of course I knew. How could I lead this club if I couldn't even do this?" Sebastian replied smugly.

The one-eyed boy let out an exasperated sigh. "Do what? Stalk your members?"

While Ciel and the others kicked up a fuss, Soma fell quiet. Despite his excitement, he felt discomfort in the back of his mind. The Earl Ciel Phantomhive was a distinguished member of the English nobility. He had achieved great things at a young age, but for all his accomplishments he had experienced an equal measure of suffering. It was well-known that both of his parents died only four or five years ago, leaving him to make it on his own. The Indian prince realised the meaning of all those words the grey haired boy had said to him. He couldn't even begin to fathom how much pain Ciel had been through.

.

Shortly after the little revelation, the club picked up their bags (Agni picked up his and Soma's, while Ciel dragged his along more than he carried it) and made their way to the holiday house nestled amongst some trees nearby. Ciel felt relief sweep over him – they would live decently instead of pitching tents. That wouldn't be so bad.

Ash entered a security password into the keypad at the door and allowed the hosts inside. The interior was of a modest size and furnished modernly. Once they were inside, Ash made an announcement.

"This is my private holiday house. It will serve as our backup accommodation in case of high winds or rain."

– wait, '_backup'_?

While the others followed the white haired boy to retrieve the tents, Ciel swallowed nervously and hoped for high winds and rain.

The boys ventured down to the beach, which was not so far from the house. They decided to stay a fair distance away from the sea in spite of Soma's protests. Agni then kindly explained that if they'd camped closer to the water, the sand wouldn't anchor their tents properly and they would be washed away when the tide came in (Soma did not seem so enthused after this).

This was the first time Ciel had seen a tent in real life, and judging by Soma's excitement, the two were in the same boat. He looked puzzled when nothing but a jumble of poles and fabric lay before him – it hadn't dawned upon him that tents needed to be _assembled_…

To his surprise, the other boys didn't hesitate for even a second. They grabbed various poles and slipped them together here and there as if they'd done this all their lives. The flustered Ciel acted mostly as an assistant, handing the others equipment when they called for it. In only a matter of minutes, two large tents stood before them. Ciel couldn't help but behold the sight in awe; however the smug grin Sebastian shot his way made him click his tongue and turn away. That bastard was challenging him. Ciel knew that being born into fortune meant he never had a hard day's work. Even after _that_, when he lived with _them_, he had little to do with jobs that called for manual exertion due to his frail disposition.

"So who stays in which tent?" asked Joker. He seemed eager about this, noted Ciel. Next thing he knew, he was face down on the ground after Soma had tackled him.

"I'm staying with Ciel!" chirped the Indian boy happily.

The rest of them looked at Agni. "I will stay with the Prince." he said simply.

Ciel paled. He didn't want to be stuck in a tent alone with _those_ two!

Grell made a sound akin to a squeal. "In that case, I wanna be with Sebastian~!"

He didn't think anyone else noticed, but Ciel saw Sebastian turn pale too. The tiniest smile spread across his lips.

Ash cleared his throat to draw the attention of the other hosts – in his hand were small folded pieces of paper. "We will draw lots. This is the fairest way to do it. Each piece of paper has 'A' or 'B' written on it. Tent A is the one on the left. Since both tents hold four people, there are four 'A's and four 'B's."

They crowded around the white-haired one and each picked out a piece of paper. Ciel prayed he wouldn't get stuck with Soma, or Sebastian for that matter. He unfolded his paper. Tent B. He showed his result to Ash, and, heaving a sigh, he waited to see who he'd be sharing a tent with tonight.

Ash announced the result. "In Tent A, we have Grell, Joker, Agni and I; that means Ciel, Soma and Sebastian will be sharing Tent B. Feel free to move your bags into your tents and explore the area. Meet back here for dinner at five o'clock."

Stuck with the two he dreaded most. The one-eyed boy couldn't bring himself to move as the other members began to walk around him. No matter what he did, Life always found a way to screw him over.

Reactions amongst the others were mixed. Grell fell to the ground, wailing about not being able to share a tent (or a sleeping bag) with Sebastian. Agni couldn't comprehend the fact that he had to be separated from Soma, while the latter pranced around, happy as ever. Even Joker looked a tad dissatisfied with the sleeping arrangements. Still there was no questioning Ash's word (especially when Sebastian didn't), and there was certainly no questioning a fair, random drawing of lots.

.

There was something relaxing about the way ocean waves washed onto the shore. It was somewhat less infuriating than the noise made by the students at the academy – at least the sea didn't giggle in a high-pitched voice or gossip about its sea-friends behind their backs. Ciel wriggled his toes into the warm, damp sand. He'd expected a lot more action from the other members, but everyone was in favour of lazing around. Of course, that didn't last long once Soma awoke from a brief nap.

"CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL~!"

Ciel almost jumped at the sound of his name – and perhaps he should have, in order to dodge Soma's flying tackle.

"Why are you just sitting there, Ciel? Come and play!" Soma grabbed his wrist and the one-eyed boy was jerked onto his feet, slightly off-balance in the soft sand. He was dragged towards the sea by his giggling classmate. If he knew the Indian boy at all, he would attempt to throw Ciel into the water. Ciel was not about to let that happen – he dug his heels into the sand to slow him down. It almost worked too, if Joker hadn't come up from behind and apprehended him.

Joker and Soma waddled awkwardly across the beach and toward the sea, one holding Ciel by the wrists and the other by his ankles. The little earl squirmed and yelled out in vain protest; the other two couldn't hear a word above their laughing. With a great swing, they flung Ciel into the water. They watched as he coughed and spluttered and flailed his way to shallower waters, laughing until their sides ached. Then, Ciel stood to his feet, the water coming up to his knees. He was soaking wet and staring at them with an unreadable expression.

Soma and Joker's laughter grew quieter, until it subsided completely. The boy was still giving them that unnerving stare.

"Ciel…sorry, we were just playing around…" Joker offered meekly. He didn't think the young one would be _this_ offended.

A strange look spread across the young host's face – one that neither Joker nor Soma had seen before. His eyebrows were furrowed as they often were… But this mischievous grin – it was more terrifying than any angry look he'd given them in the past.

_SPLASH_.

And now Joker and Soma's faces dripped with sea water, while Ciel stood there laughing. The other hosts froze in shock for a second, until Soma too started laughing, and ran into the water to retaliate. Finally, Joker followed, grinning like an idiot. Neither of them recalled Ciel ever being this playful or laughing this heartily. Really though, neither recalled Ciel ever laughing at all.

Back on the beach, Grell rolled onto his stomach, having sufficiently tanned his front, and adjusted his sunglasses. "Ah~ it looks like our taciturn nobleman is beginning to open up~!"

Agni nodded, and beside him, Ash looked up from his sketchpad and gave the faintest of smiles. "Indeed."

.

Ciel wasn't sure how much time they'd spent in the water. His fingers were wrinkling, and the long-sleeved shirt he wore to stay warm was now wet and felt freezing against his skin. The cold made him wheeze ever so slightly.

"Hey, I'm getting tired. I'm going back." he announced.

Soma continued to wade around in the water, while Joker went after Ciel. He noticed that the younger one was shivering – he'd need to get out of those wet clothes and get into something warm. The ginger-haired one jogged ahead (his legs were much longer than Ciel's) and went into his tent to find the boy a towel.

In a daze, Ciel walked back to where Grell and the others were and sat himself down tiredly. The heat was welcoming. Looking up in front, he saw Soma still playing in the water. The nap must have been the source of all that energy. On the other hand, Ciel was beginning to feel sleepy. The warmth of the sun and sand, the sound of waves lapping the shore – he felt slumber take his hand, wanting to lead him away. Before he could follow, something white and fluffy draped over his wet head – a towel.

"It is most unwise not to dry oneself after frolicking in cold water."

"Could you have used a word other than 'frolicking', Sebastian?" retorted Ciel grumpily.

The black-haired one sat down next to him, smiling when he noticed that Ciel hadn't yet removed the towel from his head as he expected him to.

"You seemed to be enjoying yourself." he mused aloud.

Ciel frowned. "A little," he admitted.

"I'm glad," Sebastian's voice was gentle and caring. The sound of it made Ciel look up at him, surprised.

The older one didn't return his look. "As they say, laughter is the best medicine. Life should be enjoyed, not endured."

How typical of Sebastian to turn this into some preachy life lesson. Ciel said nothing to acknowledge his advice, so he continued. "You should consider taking off your shirt, or your eye-patch, at least. Wet clothes will only make you colder."

Ciel's hand suddenly gripped his saturated shirt. "No." he said simply.

The black-haired one sighed. "As you wish. However, you risk an infection by keeping that wet eye-patch on. Here." He offered Ciel a surgical eye patch, much to the boy's astonishment.

"You actually brought one of these?"

"I like to be prepared." Sebastian replied with a smile.

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Joker dug around his bag for his towel, beaming like an excited child. He was finally getting Ciel to let go of his uncaring façade – he could finally begin to see the humanity beneath his stone-cold exterior. Perhaps this event would be a turning point for the boy. It was a good thing Joker arranged this holiday with Ash and Sebastian.

With a towel in hand, the ginger-haired one crawled out of his tent and looked for Ciel from where he stood. He shouldn't feel this happy, right? Sure, there was nothing he wanted more than the well-being of those he cared for, but what was this rush he felt? Why was his heart beating so fast?

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Joker was about to run back to where Ciel was sitting, when he saw Sebastian dropping a towel on top of the boy's head. He waited for a moment, before dejectedly entering the tent again.

.

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**A/N**: I'm terribly sorry for the long delay! This was a rather awkward chapter for me to write since my ideas for it were quite vague… it turned out that I couldn't fit it all into one chapter, so the beach trip will continue into the next Lesson. I can't promise that the next chapter will be up any time soon either. My FINAL final exams start on Wednesday.

So we finally learn Ciel's real identity! Or at least, the Host Club does. And not much else happens in this chapter… ^^; oh dear.

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

D=OUT (Dauto)'s _Toryuumon_ album (esp. _Rouge no Dengon_ and _Koi no Vacance_)

Pani Poni Dash OP – _Kiiroi Vacance_


	11. Lesson Nine

Lesson Nine: Smile Last Miles

.

When Soma came back ashore, he grabbed Ciel's hand again. The latter was about to object, when he was hushed by the Indian boy, who pointed at Grell. It appeared that he'd turned onto his back again and had fallen asleep.

"Grell is a deep sleeper," Soma hissed into Ciel's ear. He beamed as he picked up a couple of shells from the sand and walked over to the snoozing redhead, placing the shells over his nipples. Ciel struggled to stifle a chuckle.

Agni prepared to intervene, but was stopped by Sebastian holding a finger to his lips. The black-haired one even joined in, finding some seaweed that had dried in a 'U' shape and placing it on Grell's stomach, before standing back to admire the decorations, which looked ridiculously like a smiley face. Ciel contributed by removing his sunglasses and arranging small twigs to look like whiskers on Grell's face.

Flustered, Agni looked to Ash for help, but the white-haired host only watched the antics for a short moment before quite happily returning to his sketch.

.

"It's five o'clock," said Ash quietly, nudging Grell's cheek with his pencil.

Grell mumbled something incomprehensible, then yawned and stretched and sat up. When he did, he noticed the seaside paraphernalia fall off his body. Then, he noticed that his skin had become an interesting shade of pink, minus the pale patches where the shells and seaweed and twigs had been.

.

The other hosts were gathering food from the holiday house when a shrill screech pierced the calm air. Joker almost dropped his things in fright, and Agni _did_ drop his things and made a dash to the beach where the sound came from. Soma, Ciel and Sebastian merely exchanged knowing looks.

"I suppose I should have a camera ready." Sebastian said to himself.

When they joined the others, they found Grell on his knees, arms flailing. He was most definitely crying, in his typical Drama Queen manner. Agni did not seem prepared for this kind of crisis, judging by the way he awkwardly hovered around the redhead, timidly telling him everything would be okay (and trying not to step in the puddle of tears). Ash, on the other hand, sat right next to the wailing Grell as if he was not there at all.

Sebastian put down the bags of food he was carrying and extracted a camera from his pocket, promptly taking a few stealthy photos of Grell in distress.

"WHO DID THIS?" Grell demanded, gingerly poking at his pink, toasted skin.

Everyone fell silent. Ciel kept his lips shut – he wasn't about to admit anything and have the red-haired rapist on his case. Soma, however, was having a hard time stopping himself from snickering. Grell caught onto this immediately and pointed his finger at the tanned boy.

"It was YOU, wasn't it!"

Soma let out the laughter he'd been holding back, saying he couldn't resist. "Even Ciel and Sebastian had a go!"

The redheaded diva's world crashed around his ears. He swung his head to give Sebastian a look of betrayal. The latter shifted his weight uncomfortably, discreetly hiding his camera. At least, now that Grell was preoccupied with Sebastian, he wouldn't notice Ciel. Grell grabbed the collar of Sebastian's open shirt, demanding to know how Sebastian could do such a thing, then when he got little more than a polite smile from the black-haired one, he directed his rage at Ash, who had been sitting beside him the whole time and let it all happen.

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Grell emerged from his tent, clothed in a bright red singlet that covered his embarrassing tan-lines, and rejoined the rest of the Host Club, who were being briefed on tonight's dinner. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do about the whisker patterns on his face. When he sat down next to Ciel outside the tents, a sound akin to a snicker came from the boy. Grell blushed madly, though it was hard to tell, and shot him an enraged look.

"What?" challenged Ciel, "I thought you liked the colour red? Now your skin matches your hair – isn't that nice?"

The older host responded by pouting and mumbling something about respecting one's elders.

Meanwhile, Ash and Sebastian announced the plans for dinner. Between them and the other hosts were an assortment of vegetables in sacks, several types of meat, wrapped and sitting on ice, and a variety of bottles and containers of seasoning.

"Tonight's dinner will be ragout." said Sebastian, "Ash and I decided on this dish as it requires minimal culinary skill, meaning that _everybody_ will be able to participate in the preparations." He smiled and looked straight at Ciel, making no attempts at subtlety. Ciel merely grumbled.

For the sake of efficiency, the club divided into two groups; one to prepare the meat and the other to prepare the vegetables. Arranging the groups was a rather simple task, since Soma, Grell and Ciel had all paled at the sight of the sizeable cuts of lamb as well as the pile of whole game fowl.

Ciel wasn't entirely sure what to do when the three of them were faced with the bags of vegetables. He'd never cooked his own meal before – he had barely ever held a cooking utensil. Luckily for him, Ash directed them to their tasks. Grell was to prepare the tomatoes and herbs, Soma the carrots and celery, and Ciel the onions and potatoes. While the redhead went ahead and began to rinse and chop the tomatoes, Soma and Ciel merely gaped at their vegetable sacks. Grell tsked. "Such spoiled children, you nobles are~ Never touched a veggie peeler in your life, I'll bet."

The one-eyed boy took offense and called him names. Dear Soma, on the other hand, cocked his head to the side and innocently wondered, "What's a 'veggie peeler'?"

Finding himself a spot in the sand, Ciel sat down and plucked a potato from the sack in front of him to examine it. There were still traces of soil clumped across the skin – how ugly, he thought, scowling. He hesitantly picked at the dirt with his index finger till the tuber in his hand was clean. Next he took the vegetable peeler from the box of utensils (he felt somewhat proud of himself for being able to correctly guess which one it was) and began to peel away awkwardly at the skin. His hand trembled – this was harder than he thought it would be. Each time he dug the peeler into the potato, only a short length of the skin would peel away. It was excruciating. Curiously though, he hadn't heard a single word of complaint from Prince Soma. Surely by now his classmate would have started blabbering away about how difficult this was. When he looked over at Soma's progress, he found the Indian boy watching in awe as Agni peeled the carrots and removed the veins from the stalks of celery at lightning speed.

Ciel twitched. Soma was cheating!

"Agni is the best!" chirped the boy. Life was easy with a faithful butler at your side. Agni blushed and smiled at the compliment, as Ciel continued fuming, unbeknownst to them.

Five potatoes (and forty minutes) later, Joker came along to inspect Ciel's work. He looked into the bucket of water reserved for the peeled potatoes and began to laugh.

Ciel grew irritated again. "What's so funny?"

Joker fished for one of the potatoes in the bucket. He then grabbed an unpeeled one and showed both to Ciel. The peeled potato was thin as a sheet of paper in contrast to the unpeeled one. "It's like the skin is thicker than the potato itself!" chuckled the ginger-haired one. Ciel went red at the remark and tossed the potato in his hand into the water with a grunt, wincing when the impact made a splash that was big enough to sprinkle him too. His upperclassman smiled tenderly at his cute mannerisms and took the peeler from him, the bony hand brushing against his in the faintest way. Joker made a fleeting sideways glance toward Ciel, only to find that the boy was only wearing his trademark scowl.

"Let me show you," said Joker as he grabbed a potato from the sack. His bony fingers looked as though they could break from the speed at which he deftly peeled the tuber. Ciel watched vacantly, not quite comprehending what he was being shown. Thank heavens he would never be expected to cook his own meals ever again.

Ciel joined in again after watching the ginger-haired boy for a while. In the next few minutes, one, then two, and then three potatoes fell into the water out of Joker's hand, peeled cleanly and quickly, whilst Ciel was still struggling with his first. The grey-haired boy was in awe. Noticing this, Joker laughed and ruffled his hair playfully. "If you don't work quickly, you'll never get to eat dinner…and you won't grow either."

Ciel winced at the comment. "I'd rather eat desserts anyway," he replied quietly.

"You like sweets?" asked Joker, pleasantly surprised.

The earl blushed and looked away, holding on tightly to his half-peeled potato. "Maybe." he mumbled.

With his upperclassman's help, the potatoes were finally peeled. Agni had long since finished Soma's share of the work, and the dark-haired prince was now tumbling around in the sand. He pranced over to Ciel and Joker and laughed. "You're so slow, Ciel! I finished aaaaaaaaages ago!"

"_Agni_ finished ages ago," corrected Ciel. "_You_ never started."

Soma ignored the hostility in Ciel's voice and continued. "You still have to chop the onions!" he pointed to the small mound of onions – dirty, unpeeled and un-chopped. "But don't worry! Since I finished my jobs quickly and had lots of time to play around, I suppose I could lend you a hand."

The earl groaned.

.

Dinner was served later than expected due to the time it took for Ciel to prepare the vegetables. The Host Club sat around the portable stove with bowls of ragout and garlic bread (which Sebastian had prepared while waiting for the vegetables), making light conversation about how wonderful the meal tasted, while Soma complained of how much his eyes hurt from cutting onions.

"Ah~ Sebastian's cooking is perfect as always." said Grell in a sing-song. "Too bad _someone_ ruined it." Accusing green eyes fell upon Ciel.

"My peeling the potatoes slowly has nothing to do with the way the food tastes." deflected Ciel, pointedly ignoring the redhead's glare and eating his dinner.

"I'M TALKING ABOUT _THIS_!" Grell's bowl of ragout sloshed about as he made animated gestures towards his sunburned cat-face.

Enraged, Ciel argued, "How could you say that was my all fault! That idiot joined in too!"

"How dare you call _my_ Sebastian an idiot, you little runt!"

"My height has nothing to do with this, you weirdo!"

Agni leaned over and gave the is-this-really-okay look to Sebastian and Ash, and in response they nonchalantly reassured him that all was well with the world and continued to eat. The Indian one was still unsatisfied, though he knew there was little he could do to stop the bickering.

All noise was interrupted, however, with a melodic strum of the guitar.

Joker beamed as he played a simple tune. Ciel and Grell forgot what they were so mad about and turned their full attention to the ginger-haired one, whose smile always seemed a little bit brighter when he was entertaining someone, whether it was with a piece on the guitar, a cup of tea, or a card trick. The hosts finished their evening meal to a blazing sunset and a serenade played by Joker's expert hands.

.

Patting Ciel on the back gently, Joker said to him in an almost-whisper, "Keep smiling."

He was given the smile he sought in reply – the smile he'd seen Ciel give to many an empty-headed, sparkly-eyed client. Such charm and charisma radiated from the simple upward curling of those lips, the world seemed to stop. Joker found himself admitting that Ciel's clients had every reason to look empty-headed and sparkly-eyed once he flashed that smile at them. He walked back to his tent to pack his guitar away, but he could barely walk in a straight line, intoxicated by Ciel's dazzling smile.

.

What a weird request. Honestly, Ciel wished that Joker would stop telling him to smile – it had ceased being heartwarming after the second time he'd said it. But he certainly wouldn't leave unless he got what he wanted, so Ciel mustered up some strength and offered a rather pathetic smile indeed. It was a smile he would not even give one of the girls from the club (because if he _did_ show such a poor standard, Ash and Sebastian would make sure he'd never sleep peacefully ever again). He held it for a while, jaw aching, until Joker smiled back, happily. He seemed to fall for it. Sometimes, Ciel thought he was even more naïve than Soma. After he watched the ginger one walk to the tents, the young earl returned his attention to the task at hand.

It was hard to smile after one had been commanded to wash the dishes.

.

He grimaced at the sight of his wrinkly fingers as he lay on his back. Actually, he couldn't see much in the dark, but he knew those pruny lines were there, and that alone disgusted him. He brought one hand close to his face, detecting the smell of lemon-scented detergent that still clung to his fingers. Out of the darkness, a hand came towards him from his left side, narrowly missing his face. Ciel sighed as Soma stirred a little, his sleeping bag rustling. Preoccupied with his own thoughts, he had ignored the Indian boy until his excited babbling became mere snores. Ciel had stupidly hoped that the prince would be less annoying when asleep, only to find that Soma snored louder than he spoke and fidgeted more in his sleep than when he was awake. From his right side came a smooth chuckle.

Startled, Ciel whipped his head towards the sound, and made eye contact with Sebastian, who stared at him with that unnervingly pleasant smile.

"Are you finding it difficult to sleep, little master?" Sebastian purred, in a voice as captivating as liquid gold.

Ciel turned his head back to its original position so as not to look the black-haired one straight in the eye. Oh, what he wouldn't give to _not_ be stuck in a tent with these two. "I've had a bad day."

His tent-buddy made a muffled sound similar to a snicker. "It has been most taxing on you," he whispered, "Though you appeared to have enjoyed yourself to no small extent."

The one-eyed boy found his lips pursing involuntarily. He'd told himself once that enjoyment and happiness were unfamiliar, unattainable luxuries – even for all his wealth. To have _fun_ – no, that wouldn't do. Not for a Phantomhive. Not for him. He cast out the warm feeling he'd had earlier that day, and the fond memories he had created with the other hosts. Misery and obligation were his lot in life. With only a short pause, he argued, "I had no choice but to pretend I was enjoying myself, or _those_ two would pester me until I did."

"Of course, little master." said the black-haired one, obviously just humouring him.

He watched Sebastian smile in the corner of his eye.

"However, it wouldn't hurt to smile wholeheartedly once in a while. Your friends would like that very much."

He failed to mask his surprise. "Friends?" he said, scoffing. What a novel thought.

In the fleeting moment during which Sebastian remained silent, a faint pattering was heard; raindrops on the roof of the tent. At first, only one or two drops fell every now and then – Ciel silently counted ten seconds in between each – and soon, it escalated to a torrential downpour.

Ciel jolted upright in his sleeping bag, his heart racing.

"Oh dear," said Sebastian casually, not even moving from his reclining position, "The weather forecast certainly failed to predict this."

There was a flash of light, and then the deafening sound of thunder rang out, like the cracking of a whip the size of the universe. The young earl started, and the beginnings of a cold sweat formed on his brow. He reached over and violently shook Soma, who, despite all the racket, was still sleeping obliviously.

The prince stirred in his sleep, but when thunder and lightning struck again he too bolted up.

"Well, this is most inconvenient." Sebastian mused, clasping his hands together over his chest as he rolled onto his back.

"_Inconvenient_?" spluttered Ciel. "What if the storm tears up the tents! We can't stay out here!"

Soma nodded fearfully, on the brink of tears.

Then, Agni entered their tent, soaking wet from the rain. "Ash suggests we pack up the tents and move indoors." he calmly informed the trio.

Ciel inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. It was about time.

.

There was not much to be heard besides the crackling of the hearth and the gentle bubbling of the kettle in the kitchen. The storm outside seemed like a distant memory now in this warm and cozy lounge. Though the fire unnerved him a little, Ciel made himself as comfortable as possible on the plush rug close to the fireplace, leaning back against the arm of the couch behind him. Gathered with him were Soma, Agni and Grell – Ash, Sebastian and Joker busied themselves in the kitchen.

Joker watched as Sebastian prepared a simple crepe batter. The finesse he displayed while carrying out such simple tasks as breaking an egg or sifting flour – it was most enviable. He flicked through the recipe book as he waited for the kettle to boil and his eyes widened as they settled on one recipe. Sweet-toothed Ciel would like this a lot better than Sebastian's plain crepes.

"Joker, the kettle's boiled." said Ash, stealing him away from his daydream. They prepared mugs of tea and hot chocolate for everybody just as Sebastian finished his crepes by plating them alongside whipped cream and strawberries.

After serving everyone, Joker returned to the kitchen. Meanwhile, the rest of the hosts sipped quietly at their drinks and basked in the warmth of the fire. Sebastian sat down on the rug next to Ciel, who shot him a look of displeasure. He didn't bother giving any more of a reaction though, as slumber was embracing him ever so slowly. He vaguely heard Soma and Grell excitedly starting to tell stories with mouths full of crepes and strawberries, the other hosts laughing and joining in at times. However, he couldn't muster any strength to participate. Soon he gave up altogether and allowed his heavy eyelids to shut.

.

He paced back and forth across the cold tiles of the kitchen floor, playing with his ginger braids and checking the oven every now and then. Though he wasn't completely inexperienced with baking, he'd never made Russian fudge before. Joker checked the time on the clock and beamed. Finally. He carefully removed the tray and let the fudge cool before wrapping it up neatly in some baking paper he'd found and embellishing it with a bow made of twine. It wasn't much, but Joker felt pleased nonetheless.

Holding the package behind his back, Joker nearly skipped back to the lounge to join his fellow hosts. When he got there though, his shoulders drooped and his smile turned sour.

"Come join us, Joker!" Soma beckoned cheerily.

He shook his head and smiled politely. "I'm feeling a little tired, I think I'll go to bed now."

He staggered through the lounge, past the rest of the Host Club, past Ciel, who had fallen asleep leaning against Sebastian's shoulder.

Once he reached the dark hallway beyond the lounge, he let the neatly wrapped fudge fall from his hand onto the ground, before turning in to one of the guest rooms and locking the door behind him.

.

The sound of some sort of activity woke Ciel up from his sleep. He rubbed his unconcealed eye and yawned, then noticed that he was still in the lounge, sitting on the rug and wrapped in a blanket.

Ash's voice greeted him. "Good morning, Earl Phantomhive." The white-haired host appeared before him in a robe, holding a steaming mug of coffee. "It looks as though you've found a very strange bedfellow indeed."

Ciel was puzzled, but not enough to find out what Ash meant…that is, until his 'strange bedfellow' with whom he shared the blanket, shifted slightly in his sleep and a lock of ebony black hair brushed Ciel's forehead. He looked up warily while his stomach happily knotted itself. Sure enough, when he raised his head, he was met with the sight of Sebastian, sleeping with a serene expression he'd never seen before. Long black lashes curled elegantly, barely missing the ivory skin of his cheeks. His lips were parted by just millimetres, and each slow breath he took would blow a stray hair in time with the rising and falling of his chest. Ciel's cheeks felt hot and he quickly averted his eyes and focused on getting up carefully from under the blanket so as not to wake his upperclassman.

He plodded down the hallway towards the bathroom, still groggy and half-asleep. As he walked past the door of one of the bedrooms, he spotted an unassuming but oddly-placed package. Curious as always (though he'd never admit it), he picked it up and unwrapped it. Russian fudge…how nostalgic. Taking a bite of the confection, he couldn't help but smile just a little – a secret smile that he hadn't shown anyone for a long time.

.

"It's a little burnt," he noted with amusement, and continued down the hallway.

.

.

.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. If it does (or even if it doesn't), please elaborate in a review, and I'll do my best to improve! ^^

.

Now, I know 'weirdo' is not much of an insult, but it reminds me of that episode in Season 2 where Ciel tells that crazy woman, "That's my butler, and a weird guy."

Also, with reference to Ash's comment about Ciel's 'strange bedfellow'; William Shakespeare said, "misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows". And since misery is Ciel's lot in life, it's only natural to assume…

And I'm not sure if Sebastian really has long eyelashes…but Shiki of Togainu no Chi does, and those two look awfully similar…

.

**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Dir en grey – _Taiyou no Ao_

Gackt – _Marmalade_

Jason Mraz – _I'm Yours_


	12. Lesson Ten

Lesson Ten: You are Unique, Just Like Everyone Else

.

"Before I forget," Ash began, as the Host Club settled into the minibus, "At the end of this week, we will be holding a special event for the club. It will be a 'Talent Showcase'."

"Sounds cheesy," dismissed Joker, who stared out the window devoid of his usual charm and cheer.

Meanwhile, Ciel thought it sounded rather worrisome.

Sebastian took the liberty of explaining the matter. "Essentially, each of you will be given a station, at which you may demonstrate a unique talent. Of course, as an additional selling point, you must each produce some sort of keepsake for the ladies to take away with them."

The other hosts looked at each other; some were excited, others less so.

Ash cleared his throat. "Therefore, your task is to think of the talent you will showcase, and to design a keepsake that relates to it."

"And if we don't?" tried Ciel cautiously.

The white-haired boy didn't flinch as he replied, "I would prefer not to mention such things in public."

.

The wig was an unfamiliar weight on his head, having spent the weekend without it. Ciel dragged his bags down the hallway back to his suite. He'd made sure not to be seen entering the hall of residence with Sebastian, lest he be bullied by a squabble of bratty girls again. Still, he found himself regretting his decision when Sebastian merrily handed him his bag to go alone.

As he entered his room, he pondered the assignment Ash had given him. What on earth would he consider a unique talent? In his head, Ciel ran through all the things he thought he could do;

He could play chess.

…No, that airheaded bunch of girls would never find that entertaining.

He could play the violin.

…Then again, _everyone_ at Stoneleigh Park Academy could play the violin…

He could recite the names of every monarch from the nineteenth century to the present.

…Once more, those girls would never find that entertaining.

Ciel huffed and threw his bags on the ground. This would prove to be a most bothersome task, and the worst part was that the Host Club would meet in two days' time to make arrangements for the event. If he had nothing to contribute, he'd suffer the wrath of Sebastian and Ash. What was more, Ciel hated losing a challenge. This wasn't a challenge like any he'd ever come across, but defeat would not be an option. Tomorrow, he would do some research to find his unique talent.

.

It was the end of the day. Ciel waited in a study room, tapping the end of his pen impatiently. He'd expected too much when he expected Soma to arrive on time. How annoying – he wanted to get this over with so that he could return to the safety of his suite and shed the uniform skirt he so detested. On the piece of paper in front of him he'd already scribbled several ideas, but none of them sounded plausible. He wracked his brains for more ideas, though none came.

There was a click and a swish as the door opened, then a cheerful "Sorry I'm late, Skye!" from Soma, and then a swish and a click as the door closed. He sat down and twiddled his thumbs, not at all sharing Ciel's sense of urgency.

"What took you so long?"

Soma smiled, "I bumped into one of my clients on the way here so I asked her what she'd like me to do for the showcase."

Ciel slammed his pen on the table. "That's cheating!"

"You're cheating too! You're asking me for help." teased the prince, sticking his tongue out. He did have a point, though Ciel wasn't sure how much help he'd be…

And surely enough, Prince Soma proved to be of little assistance – after a good hour or two, all Ciel had to show for their effort was a piece of paper dominated by Soma's childish doodles of the Indian goddess Kali. Once he'd left, Ciel had promptly crumpled the paper and thrown it into a nearby bin. He stomped out of the study room in a huff, eager to change out of his uncomfortably short skirt.

.

The sound of papers being shuffled caused the Host Club, seated around a table in the middle of the club room, to fall quiet, marking the beginning of the evening's meeting. Even though nobody spoke, the room buzzed with excitement. However, Ciel buzzed more with anxiety than anything else, having searched the depths of his mind and found nothing remotely useful for this event.

"Well then," said Sebastian, examining the pile of paper in front of him. "Firstly I would like to thank you for submitting your proposals to us before the meeting. They all sound executable and effective."

He proceeded to read out the ideas of each of the members – Grell was to give each of the clients a manicure, and give away a nail file featuring a motif he'd designed himself; Joker would perform magic tricks and present each girl with a Queen of Hearts card that (again) he'd designed; Soma wanted to give a crash course in Indian dance, and would give his clients a golden bangle he'd ordered from India; Agni would have a station outdoors, where he would cook an individualised curry for his clients, and give them a bottle of the spices he'd used for them to take home; Ash preferred to sketch a portrait and compose a poem for each girl, while Sebastian would create a personalised dessert for every girl and subsequently give her the recipe (so that her family cook could replicate it afterward). The only person Sebastian did not talk about was, of course…

"Ciel," said Ash in a stern tone. "You are the only one who has not informed us of what you want to do for the Talent Showcase."

Ciel fidgeted in his chair. "I…I haven't really thought of anything to do." He felt the curious stares of his fellow hosts burn into his forehead. What else was he supposed to say?

"This is most unacceptable," Sebastian said levelly. "This event was designed to draw in new customers. Without your participation we will most definitely lose some patronage."

Ash examined Ciel's nervous expression with an air of disinterest. Frankly, Ciel dreaded to guess what he was thinking. It was always so difficult to read the two leaders of the club. At length, the white-haired student finally said, "If that's the case, we will give you another day to think. If you do not submit an idea to us by then, I suppose we shall have to punish you."

The hairs on the back of Ciel's neck stood up. "Punishment…?"

"Sebastian, have you any creative ideas for a suitable punishment?" he asked casually.

The ebony-haired one smiled, eyes glittering brilliantly. "I believe I may have a cat costume stashed away in the club storage cupboard."

"Very well. If Ciel does not have a unique talent to showcase by the day after tomorrow, he must wear the cat costume for the entire duration of the event." Ash clasped his hands together gracefully. Though the idea was ridiculous, his voice was dead serious.

The earl could hardly believe his ears.

With that, the meeting concluded. The rest of the Host Club left, giving Ciel some half-hearted encouragement before doing so. Despite knowing how mortified Ciel was at the thought of such a degrading punishment, secretly, they _all_ wanted to see him in a cat costume.

.

At approximately one o'clock in the morning, Sebastian awoke to the sound of tapping at the French doors that opened out to his balcony. Pulling back one curtain, he found a small pile of paper, crumpled into balls. He looked up, just as another scrunched-up piece of paper hit the glass, and saw Ciel sitting on the ground on his own balcony, a writing pad in his lap. When Sebastian opened the door, the boy tore another sheet from the dwindling pad, scrunched it up, and threw it straight at his neighbour's head. Sebastian moved over by just a few centimetres and narrowly missed the projectile. Seeing that his attempt at hitting the black-haired one had failed, Ciel resorted to shooting him an icy glare.

"Such actions are most unbecoming of a young lady like yourself." said the taller one teasingly. He walked over to the edge of the balcony closest to Ciel's.

"It's all your fault!" bellowed the grey-haired boy. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if you didn't mention that cat costume!"

The childish comment made him smile. "Could my little master be having difficulty with this task?"

Ciel bit his lip. He never liked admitting anything to anyone, especially not his horrid neighbour. Even though he detested it, he still spoke. "I can't think of anything good to do. Not for the life of me. I don't even know where to start."

"There _must_ be something," encouraged Sebastian. "Surely there is but _one_ talent that defines you?"

Something that defined him. Ciel knew what Sebastian meant, but he had no idea just _what_ defined him. There was nothing special or remarkable about him; all he really knew was to think and order others around…

An unsettled moment passed without further conversation. The earl grunted and stood up, saying he'd think about it. Of course he would – did he have any other choice? His expression was a troubled one when he stepped back into his suite. As an afterthought, he popped his head back out and looked at his neighbour.

"Oh yes, don't forget to clean up the mess you made." he said, pointing to the crumpled paper at Sebastian's feet.

Once Ciel and his long pigtails disappeared inside, Sebastian sighed.

"Somehow, I've become a butler. Honestly, this child…"

.

He couldn't sleep – Sebastian's words plagued his thoughts, playing over and over again as a broken record. He buried his head under his pillow in annoyance. What was it that defined him? Moreover, if everyone else knew what their defining talent was, then why didn't he? Why was it so difficult for him? Perhaps he was missing something, perhaps they knew something he didn't. Perhaps there _wasn't_ anything that defined him? The notion of it bothered him to no end.

Ciel tossed around under the duvet, agitated and tired. All he wanted right now was to fall asleep. Sitting up wearily, he reached for the music box on his bedside table, wound it up, and placed it back down. He lay sideways, staring at the ornate trinket as it played its melancholy tune.

He hit his forehead with his palm several times, silently reprimanding himself. This was such a trivial matter to be concerned about, especially for someone such as himself. He had other things that had to be done, for instance, the plans for the new computer game to be released. He'd sketched several character designs and had already thought of a plot for it. There was a meeting scheduled next week during which he would pitch the concept. Of course, though he had to go through an approval process, being head of his company meant that most of his plans went ahead anyway. Besides, there was never a product he'd designed that failed to take off. With that thought, he grinned a little, and slowly shut his eye.

.

The lunch hour could not have come any sooner. After his battle with sleeplessness last night, Ciel awoke half an hour later than usual, throwing off his entire routine. He was late to his first class, and hadn't even managed to have breakfast – not even a cup of tea. He parted crowds with his furious glare when he entered his usual café for lunch, not even noticing Soma, Agni, Grell and Joker waving to him from one of the tables.

Soma pushed his bottom lip out and whimpered like a hurt puppy when Ciel ignored his waving and headed straight for the queue. "Ciel looks really grumpy today."

His redheaded upperclassman grinned. "He's just worried about his impending doom."

"Would you be referring to Mr. Sebastian's cat suit?" asked Agni.

Joker simply sighed, watching Ciel as he placed his order.

"I wonder what the cat suit actually looks like…I've never seen it before." Soma mused, taking a sip of his strawberry milkshake.

Joker perked up. Soma was right – nobody had ever seen the cat costume Sebastian mentioned, although that was not surprising seeing as none of the hosts bothered to look in the club storage cupboard save for the two leaders. And given that Sebastian was rather partial towards felines, it was highly likely that he'd saved a cat suit for such a time as this.

Agni rested his chin in his hand. "Perhaps, my prince, Master Ciel would be made to wear the hide of a tiger?"

"No, wouldn't it be the type of cat costume you'd wear if you were performing for a child's birthday party?" the prince suggested back.

What Joker had in mind was a completely different type of cat costume. "Well, in Japan, cat-girls are quite popular." he thought for a while, then added, "And cat-girl maids are especially cute."

He took a swig of his iced tea to cool his reddening cheeks.

While Agni had difficulty understanding, and Soma and Joker pictured Ciel in cat ears and a frilly blue maid's dress, Grell gave them all a haughty smirk. "Really though, Soma~ You mustn't obsess over such childish things. We're all mature adults now." He leaned in closer to the other three. "You know how there are Playboy Bunnies? I'm guessing that our darling Ciel will be a…Playboy _Kitty_~"

Soma and Agni blinked innocently; Joker nearly shot tea from his nostrils.

Grell chuckled. "That's my Sebastian."

.

It was proving to be a rather awkward session at the Host Club today. Every single one of Ciel's clients inquired as to what he'd be doing for the Talent Showcase, at which point Ciel would clear his throat and lie that it was a secret and that it would be splendid. Of course, if he ended up wearing the dreaded cat costume, he would go to great lengths to keep it a secret, however it was far from his idea of something splendid.

Once Ciel came to a lull in his schedule, Sebastian sauntered over to him. Intuitively, Ciel cautiously backed up against the chair in which he was sitting, bracing himself for some of that B.L. nonsense. To his relief Sebastian merely sat down next to him casually, and did not even spare him a glance.

"Has the young master thought of his magnificently unique talent yet?"

The one-eyed boy coughed and looked in the opposite direction of Sebastian. "No." he said quickly.

"Here's an idea," began the black-haired one. "At your station, you could _smile_ at your clients." He nudged Ciel with his elbow and discreetly gestured towards Joker, who was entertaining a group of girls at the far end of the room.

Ciel frowned and said, "That's not funny. I hate it when he asks me to smile. It's annoying."

Sebastian oh-ed. "And yet you still oblige him every time."

"Yeah," The young earl admitted with guilt, picking at the fabric of his seat.

He felt weight shifting on the couch, and all of a sudden, Sebastian's hand was entangled in Ciel's blue-grey hair and his lips were only millimetres away from his ear. The blood drained from his cheeks.

"You should know not to endlessly indulge the whims of others," whispered the red-eyed host huskily.

The boy went bright red and the girls who happened to notice squealed as he tried to peel Sebastian away.

.

.

_Dear Aunt Anne,_

_My apologies for the delay in my reply._

.

Heh, what a lie.

.

_My schedule has been rather full recently, both with academic activities and the business. Currently I have been designing a new game to be released soon. _

_In answer to your question, the club I have become a part of is the Stoneleigh Park Academy Host Club. I believe the concept is of Japanese origin. My job is to entertain my clients and essentially make them feel special. There's nothing to it, really. After all, I am a Phantomhive._

.

No, too conceited.

.

_After all, you have raised me to be a gentleman towards all women._

.

Much better.

.

_I miss you dearly and hope you are taking care of yourself. Don't forget to pay the bills every month._

_Much love,_

_Ciel_

.

.

Judgement day arrived too fast for Ciel's liking. Once again, the Host Club assembled around a table in the club room after school to hear the good news, because the outcome would be favourable regardless of whether or not Ciel had an idea to offer. Having realised this, Ciel knew he couldn't count on anybody to protect him from Sebastian and the cat suit. As the meeting began, Ciel felt like sinking deeper and deeper into his chair, wanting to disappear from it all.

"So, Ciel." said Sebastian pertly, with that enraging smirk of his. "Share with us your idea."

Expectant eyes fell on the earl and the room fell silent with anticipation. He squirmed restlessly, but did not say anything for a while. Finally, he decided that refusing to answer would only delay his punishment, not prevent it.

"I…haven't thought of anything."

The quiet but clear words echoed through the room and astonished the other club members. They thought that surely their little genius would have come up with something.

"Admittedly I am rather surprised." said Sebastian. "Have you been occupied with other things?"

Ciel remembered the pile of sketches on his desk, and all the gameplay ideas he'd jotted down on note paper. Was this a good enough excuse? "As a matter of fact, I have a game to design. I don't have time to ponder my unique talent."

Soma sat up (after previously being asleep) and exclaimed happily, "Funtom is releasing a game! What is it about?"

"That's confidenti– "

"No, please. Do tell us about this game." said Ash coldly, unconvinced. "And do give us details, otherwise Sebastian will be fetching the cat costume."

Seeing a grin spread across Sebastian's face, Ciel instantly changed his mind and relented.

"Soma wouldn't be interested in this type of game. The player assumes the role of an orphan living on the streets of Victorian England. His task is to survive the hardships of living on the streets, and to make a name for himself by solving puzzles and earning money in the process. If you would like, I can describe for you one of the puzzles I've designed so far."

Ash nodded. "Go ahead."

Ciel proceeded to describe in great detail the puzzle he'd desgined, from the instructions to the colour scheme, from the dialogue involved to the various bonuses the player could receive. The club members were mesmerised. Even the easily distracted Prince Soma listened with his mouth agape.

Once he deemed his explanation to be lengthy enough, the grey-haired boy sat back in his seat and looked up at the two leaders with annoyance. "Satisfied now?" he spat indignantly.

Ash and Sebastian exchanged looks, silently deliberating. Sebastian smiled again and said, "I believe that your talent has been right in front of you this whole time."

.

.

.

The club room resembled a bustling marketplace today, thought Number 29. She'd never seen anything like this in the two years she'd been visiting the Host Club – the room was filled with other girls, some were at the various stations while others sat around the rest areas dotted around the place, comparing the gifts they'd received from their favourite hosts. Checking the map she'd taken from the entrance, she decided to head toward Ciel's station.

.

'_Come, take my hand.'_

_His voice was soothing to her ears. She placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth from it as he closed his fingers around hers._

'_Where are we going?'_

'_A secret place. I've never taken anyone there before.'_

_Her heart raced._

_She walked a few steps with him before they came to a stop. Curious, she reached for her blindfold._

'_Ah. Don't take it off.' whispered Ciel. She obeyed._

'_We're here. Do you see it?' he asked._

'_Where are we?'_

'_In a garden I used to play in as a child. There are flowers blooming everywhere and trees whose branches are laden with fruit._

'_There's a fountain in the middle of the garden – can you hear the water washing gently over the stone?'_

'_I hear it.' she said dreamily._

'_A couple of birds have just flown in and settled into the water of the fountain. They're singing. Shall we go and take a look?'_

'_Yes, please.'_

_They walked forward, hand-in-hand._

'_There's a bench behind us. Shall we sit?'_

'_Okay.'_

_He led her back and helped her to sit down._

'_Are you comfortable?'_

'_Yes. Are you?'_

'_As long as I'm with you, I will always be fine.'_

_She blushed._

_Then, she heard shuffling. Suddenly, Ciel was sitting right next to her, albeit a little stiffly. She could feel him gingerly placing his hand on top of hers._

_She hoped he didn't hear her contented sigh. _

'_Let's stay like this for a while.'_

'_As you wish.' he whispered back._

.

"Here, let me help you." Ciel said, removing Number 29's blindfold.

She blushed as he did so. "Thank you, I enjoyed myself."

"I'm glad."

"How did you do it? I felt as if I was really in the garden with you."

He smiled. "Then I've done my job well."

Holding her blindfold in his hand, he brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss upon it, before giving it back to her. Number 29 was lost for words.

"This is my gift to you. It's not much, but I hope you'll cherish it."

"I-I will." she stuttered as she left the club room, waving goodbye to the grey-haired boy.

Ciel breathed a sigh of relief. His hands were trembling, but he knew watching the last client of the day walk out the door brought him a sense of peace. Without hesitation, he went to get changed and prepare for his afternoon classes.

Not too far away, Grell and Sebastian observed the boy. As Sebastian put his recipes in order, Grell said to him, "It looks like the kid's showcase was a success."

"Indeed. We've signed up five new clients because of him." replied Sebastian.

The redhead leaned closer. "The cat suit punishment was a brilliant idea, but it's too bad he didn't have to wear it. I think some of us were really looking forward to it~ "

Sebastian gave his junior a chuckle and said to him coolly, "Truthfully, the cat costume does not exist. But yes, it would have been an amusing sight."

Grell's jaw dropped. "You _lied_ about the cat suit?"

"But of course. Imagination is a powerful thing."

.

.

.

The suite was dark, save for the bluish light that shone from his laptop screen. His eye was tired, but he had an inbox full of messages from the company that required his attention. Slothfully he scrolled through his emails – just the usual whining and moaning. But in amongst the masses of mail from the Funtom company was a message from Aunt Anne:

.

_ciel my darlin! y ddnt u SAY u wer part of a host club? ive been w8n for the western wrld 2 warm up 2 this idea 4 years!_

_will c u soon. im on my way. introduce me 2 the boys ok?_

_xoxo_

.

Ciel's forehead met the polished wood desk. His aunt seemed to become more and more immature with each passing year – and what was worse, she was on her way here! His hand felt like it weighed a tonne as he reached for the telephone to notify reception about his aunt's arrival.

.

.

.

* * *

**A/N:** EEK! Although I'm on holiday, it seems that I'm quite busy… So I've graduated and now I'm taking my last student holiday in Singapore and Japan. Currently I'm in Hokkaido enjoying the snow. :3

So if the cat suit really did exist, what do you think it would look like? I was thinking along the lines of Soma's cat mascot thing, but Joker and Grell also had good ideas…

Thanks to everyone for being patient with me and for reviewing! I haven't given up on this fic yet, and I hope that you won't either!

.

**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Ancafe – _Smile ichiban ii onna_

Train – _Hey, Soul Sister_

Becca – _I'm ALIVE!_


	13. Lesson Eleven

Lesson Eleven: Light Travels in Straight Lines

.

"Hello my _darling_! You won't believe how much I've missed you! Tell me you've been a good girl, won't you?"

No reply.

"Skye? What's the matter?"

Angelina looked down at her niece to see she'd turned blue and was breathing labouriously. Immediately, she let the frail child out of her embrace.

"I'm sorry, I missed you so much I got carried away…"

Skye panted for a moment then told her aunt all was forgiven, and the two headed to Skye's suite together, giggling and making small talk. However, as soon as the two ladies stepped into the elevator, Skye's manner changed.

"Honestly, you overdo it every time." complained Ciel.

His aunt's laugh was clear and familiar, something the young earl found comforting. "Like I said, I missed you so I got carried away."

He smiled. She never changed.

Once in the safety of the suite, Ciel removed his wig and sat down tiredly on his bed. Meanwhile Aunt Anne paced around the polished timber floors, the stiletto heels of her red shoes clicking as she walked.

"They weren't lying when they talked about five-star suites," she said with awe, inspecting everything from the drapes to the door handles with eyes glimmering like rubies.

Ciel looked at her with a pained smirk. "Too bad the neighbours aren't five-star…"

As it approached midday, Ciel and his aunt sat together at the table in the middle of his room, catching up. Angelina told him about her escapades abroad – the hospitals she'd worked in, the places she'd shopped, and the strange men she was tempted to – but ultimately didn't – bring home. The boy listened with a smile on his face. Aunt Anne's childishness never ceased to amuse him. Sometimes it seemed as if she was becoming a teenager all over again. He recalled the times in the manor, when _she_ would go out to parties and on dates, and _he_ would be the one telling her to be home by one, and not to talk to shady men.

An hour had passed, and Angelina stood from her seat, straightening out her red A-line skirt. She always dressed respectably in the daytime, noted Ciel. With her resonant voice, she announced that she'd be making her way to her room.

"You're not staying here?" wondered Ciel aloud.

She flashed him a charming smile as she walked to the door. "Of course not. It's terribly improper for me to share a bedroom with my teenaged nephew."

.

Ciel inhaled deeply the aroma of the tea in his cup. He rather missed days like these, when he and his aunt simply enjoyed one another's company. What he didn't appreciate was all the attention the infamous woman was receiving from the other students.

"Isn't that Madame Red?"

"You mean the former Baroness Barnett? Skye's aunt?"

"She's even more stunning in real life!"

"And much more…red."

Herds of excited male students walked past their alfresco table at the on-campus ice cream parlour, tactlessly attempting to catch a glimpse of Aunt Anne. Indeed, she had a knack for standing out in a crowd, with her passion for the colour red showing through her flamboyant outfits, earning her the nickname 'Madame Red'. Even the waiter who'd taken their order stood still in awe for a fleeting moment.

Aunt Anne adjusted her wide-brimmed hat to the side, offering the hungry eyes a better look. Ciel tugged at his pigtails. Even here, she wanted some poor fellow to become her prey.

"So, Aunt Anne…why are you here?" For all his manners and propriety, the bluntness of the question surprised even Ciel himself.

Her red lipstick glimmered in the sunlight when she smiled. "I wanted to know how my niece is faring in this scary place."

"I'm not sure if I should be alarmed or flattered…"

"Don't think too much of it." laughed Angelina, "The academy invited me to give a talk to the students about career prospects in the field of medicine."

The boy sighed. His aunt had always been a woman with many motives – he knew she wouldn't come to Stoneleigh Park simply to visit him.

Madame Red clasped her hands together and played with the ruby ring on her finger. "Now, how _is_ my niece doing?"

He took a sip of tea and pondered his response. As carefully as he could, he told her that he'd stopped feeling nauseous and throwing up his food all the time, that he had come to be friends with the Host Club who had used blackmail to make him join them, and that he lived next door to one of them – an insolent jerk with no regard for personal space, who, despite his arrogance, had been very supportive of Ciel.

Angelina cocked her head to the side. "He sounds interesting."

"It would be unethical to make a move on him." Ciel warned, knowing exactly what she was thinking. She, on the other hand, acted as if she had no idea what her cross-dressing nephew was talking about.

.

.

.

Out of curiosity, Ciel decided he'd attend Madame Red's talk several days later. Although he was aware of his aunt's popularity, he didn't anticipate that so many people would come. The auditorium was at full capacity, with students even sitting in the aisles and forming a crowd at the back. As everyone caught a glimpse of the bright red dress, the entire hall fell silent.

Her stage presence was overwhelming, even though her talk was simple and to-the-point. Students listened intently, some with their mouths hanging open. Ciel was impressed, but he was less than interested in pursuing a career in medicine and was becoming somewhat bored.

After Aunt Anne had spoken for about an hour, she invited students to ask questions. The grey-haired boy felt relieved – nobody ever asked questions, so he'd be able to leave soon.

In a row near the front, a girl raised her hand.

"Is it essential to begin studying science from secondary school?" she asked.

What a stupid question, thought Ciel as he tapped his finger on the arm of his seat. Of course you'd have to start early – if not, you'd be disadvantaged at the tertiary level. Once Angelina had answered her question, Ciel prepared to leave, when once more, the same girl raised asked a question.

"Could you talk about prospects in the area of research?"

He covered his face with his hand and sank back into his chair. Who was this girl? Didn't she know she was wasting everyone's time? He sat up and tried to see who she was – all he saw was a head of curly, black hair. That was enough for him. He settled back into his seat and proceeded to direct all his silent anger at those black ringlets.

.

Forty-five minutes later, after having listened to the same girl asking questions, the students filed out of the auditorium. In the midst of the sea of faces mumbling incoherently, Ciel overheard a conversation between two male students from the year above him.

"I thought that was _never_ gonna finish!"

"Madame Red's talk was interesting though."

"Yeah, but Beast just dragged on like no tomorrow."

"Wait, you know that girl?"

"Yeah, we do Music and Performing Arts classes together. Dunno why she takes those subjects though – she always looks really bored and always loses her temper at everyone."

Ciel smirked. What an unusual name.

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.

.

Sooner than he noticed, it was time for another session at the Host Club. Today, he met Aunt Anne at the Italian café on campus rather than the school café. It was a welcome change of scenery for him, but he hoped he'd be able to get away early in order to prepare for the club.

After their meal, Angelina stared fondly at her nephew as she sipped her coffee. Ciel felt a slight amount of discomfort being under her scrutiny. With the added pressure of having to rush off to the club, he swore he could feel a white hair growing.

Aunt Anne smiled and flicked her auburn her auburn hair out of her face. "You seem agitated, Skye. Do you perhaps have an appointment with the Host Club soon?"

Ciel panicked. How could she talk about that in public?

"Don't you worry your pretty little head. I've made an appointment there today, so let's go together."

…She did WHAT?

"Wh-wh-what do you mean…Aunt Anne?" stuttered Ciel, trying to hide his rage as best as he could.

He was only given that unwavering smile in response.

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"What brings the captivating Madame Red to our humble club today?" said Ash as he poured Angelina a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Her laugh rang out clear and confident. "How charming. I came on a recommendation." She paused contemplatively before adding, "From a friend."

Angelina smirked as she watched Ash give Ciel a sideways glance.

The weight on the plush couch shifted and her nose was filled with the smell of flowery, fruity, overbearing cologne. When she looked to see who'd sat down, she stared into brilliant green eyes framed by red spectacles.

She felt her heart skip a beat.

"Why are you wasting time with _this_ guy?" Grell whispered slyly into her ear.

While she was busy stammering and attempting to formulate a response, Grell lifted her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and said huskily, "I can show you a much better time over there."

The white-haired host cleared his throat. "Grell, I believe the lady has made an appointment with me." he stated begrudgingly.

The redhead smiled ear-to-ear as he stood up and put his hands on his hips. "Actually, she made an appointment with the entire club, so she's free to wander around as she pleases."

Ash's pupils contracted. Madame Red had applied for a trial membership, and to book an appointment with every host would cost even more than a regular membership. Clients were entitled to see one or two hosts per session – never before had anyone even attempted to book an appointment with the entire club.

Just then, Sebastian happened to walk by. Ever the helpful one, he leaned in and advised Ash of the sum of money Angelina had paid in order to have a few strings pulled, allowing her to make an appointment with each of the hosts. The strict Ash seemed to settle back down after that, and didn't chase the matter up.

Ciel watched, half in embarrassment, as his aunt strutted away with his psychotic upperclassman. Honestly, was she not aware that this was a high school? Fresh meat, she'd told him once – a cougar was always looking for fresh meat.

His current group of clients' time was up. He saw them to the exit like a proper noble, and gave them each a peck on the back of their hands as they left. As the herd of blushing, giggling girls made their way out the door, a less excited, somewhat bashful-looking girl entered. She shuffled over to the young earl and meekly asked him if Joker was around –

Wait. That voice…and that curly, black hair. Wasn't this that Beast girl from Aunt Anne's talk earlier in the week?

"Are you looking to make an appointment with him?" Ciel asked politely, trying to mask his annoyance at her for holding the auditorium up.

"N-no…I just wanted to see him for a minute. I…I need to tell him something." she sounded so timid and awkward, nothing like the way she sounded when she'd asked all those questions. The one-eyed boy wondered if this was really the same girl.

He felt a bony hand ruffle his hair. "Sorry Beast," Joker's voice came from behind him, "I'm busy today."

Beast looked at him hurtfully. "I see."

Although the exchange of words was plain enough, Ciel sensed tension between the two. He didn't dare correct the heavily made-up host, even though he knew that Joker did actually have some free time between clients.

She stood lifelessly in the doorway until Joker returned to his clients, but just as Beast herself was about to turn away and leave, her hand was caught by none other than Sebastian.

"Princess," he said as he gently dragged his lips across the back of her fingers. "Won't you stay for a while? You've already come all this way. Perhaps_ I_ could entertain you instead?"

Beast's face went red with anger, and then…

_SLAP_.

"I'd sooner eat _worms_ than talk to you, you creep." she spat, storming past him and Ciel and out the door. Her heavy footsteps could be heard stomping down the hall.

The entire room watched in shock – Sebastian included, though he didn't seem to feel the pain of his freshly slapped cheek. On the other hand, Ciel found this highly amusing. It wasn't every day that Sebastian the Irresistible was, well, shown resistance. Excited whispers filled the clubroom.

"Sebastian just got slapped."

"Yeah, he totally did."

Ciel didn't look at his upperclassman when he said, "It was about time you were punished for your vileness."

The grey-haired boy wasn't given much time to feel satisfied with his snide remark; seconds later he felt strong arms wrap around his waist and Sebastian's breath on the shell of his ear.

"If you want to punish me, I'll gladly come to your suite tonight, little master."

The female students were too busy swooning and having nosebleeds to notice Ciel kicking and squirming his way out of the red-eyed host's clutches.

.

As the clients left the clubroom one by one (Madame Red being the last guest to leave) and the hosts finished tidying up, Ash announced there would be a meeting after school, compulsory for all of them. Joker only vaguely registered this in his head as he hurriedly made his way down the hall – he knew better than to assume Beast had long gone.

Ciel followed him curiously as he walked to the end of the hallway, where Beast was standing silently. The poor girl – had she been waiting here the whole time?

He watched as the ginger-haired host walked up to her, saying coldly, "Why did you come here?"

Beast struggled to reply when he cut in, this time yelling, "I _told_ you to stop coming here! Why can't you just leave me alone!"

The earl flinched. He'd never seen the usually easy-going Joker lose his temper like that. Behind Ciel, the other hosts had gathered, all startled by the noise.

When Beast could speak, her voice was strained, as if she was about to cry. "I-I'm sorry…"

"Just go."

The girl hesitated for a moment, then ran off. Joker was about to return to the clubroom when he spotted Ciel's head sticking out of the doorway (the rest of the hosts had speedily retreated when they'd heard the conversation conclude). His lined eyes widened and a faint blush formed on his cheeks when he realised that the boy had been listening the whole time. Wordlessly, he turned back around and walked away in the opposite direction of the club.

.

That evening, the club meeting proceeded as most club meetings did, with the exception of the uninvited guest. Madame Red, in typical fashion, simply waltzed in at the start of the meeting and sat herself down, saying she found it hard to stay away from the Host Club and wanted to see what they were really like when they weren't entertaining hordes of girls. However, if she expected them to be as charming now as they were earlier today, she would have sorely disappointed, thought Ciel. With distaste, he looked on as Grell tried to woo his aunt as his after-hours self, prancing around proclaiming his love for her and all things red, and as always, showing off that Cheshire cat smile. Angelina didn't seem so taken by him anymore.

Ash started off by discussing the progress of the club and sharing feedback from the clients about the Talent Showcase as well as suggestions for future events. One particularly interesting suggestion was to hold an event to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The other hosts agreed that it was a good idea, though autumn had not even arrived yet. The white-haired one didn't give them much time to further deliberate over the matter, promptly moving on to the _real_ reason he'd called the meeting.

"Joker." he said flatly, not caring to beat around the bush. "Your behaviour today was most unacceptable."

At the sound of such a blunt comment, there was a general feeling of unease amongst the other hosts. Even Aunt Anne politely coughed and averted her eyes in discomfort.

The host in question folded his arms defiantly. "I never behave badly in front of our clients."

"I believe that Ash is talking about when you yelled at Miss Beast." Agni interjected, earnestly trying to be helpful.

"I _know_ what he's talking about." Joker retorted spitefully. "That girl wasn't a client anyways. It doesn't matter how I treat her."

He had a point, Ciel acknowledged.

Ash's face remained devoid of emotion. "Regardless of whether or not she was a client, there may have been students who _are_ clients close by at the time. Your outburst could have left a bad impression. I don't know if they taught you this in class, but impressions can either profit a business or bring it to ruin."

Joker turned his head away and pretended to look disinterested.

"You had better make up with Beast, or we will be forced to consider withdrawing you from the Host Club." said Ash levelly. "Isn't that right, Sebastian?"

Ciel stifled a gasp. Was that a threat?

"Quite the contrary," Sebastian smiled, contributing to the debate for the first time. "Joker should be free to do what he likes. If an apology is in order, perhaps I should be the one to give it on the Host Club's behalf?"

He wasn't sure if anyone else had seen it, but the quick glare Ash shot in Sebastian's direction sent a chill down Ciel's spine.

"That won't be necessary." he said to his co-leader. With this, he concluded the meeting, warning Joker to think about his earlier actions and how he should atone for them. The latter was the first one to leave, dragging his feet out the door as if his shoes were filled with lead.

Angelina stood up quietly and bid a good night to her nephew and the other hosts. Ciel was compelled to see her to her room, but Madame Red was against the suggestion, insisting that she went ahead first. Not being one to make a scene, Ciel let her leave and turned his attention back to the club members. Soma nudged him and said, "Did your aunt do something to Grell?"

The boy didn't want to think about it, but his eyes could not help but trail off towards the redheaded maniac. Since Ash officially called the meeting to a close, Grell had resumed frolicking around the room, singing about how he'd found his true love, a soul mate that shared his passion for red. He was hurried out the door by Soma, who was musing to Agni about how he'd never seen Joker act so uncaring before.

After a brief moment, Ciel decided it'd be best to leave now too. That unrest he'd sensed between the two leaders was growing. Despite his instinct urging him to hurry back to his suite, he thought it wouldn't hurt to wait for Sebastian. Perhaps they could walk back together?

No, who was he kidding? He was just curious as to what the two had to say to each other. He stood close to the door and held his breath.

.

"You had better not meddle with their situation." That was Ash's stern voice.

"Who was the one meddling today?" challenged Sebastian, ever the calm one.

"At least my method is noble and upright, unlike yours."

"Oh?" Ciel could almost hear him smiling as he spoke. "And what do you suppose this dastardly method of mine is?"

A pause.

Sebastian spoke again. "I am merely trying to help."

"You are not. I have already given the solution to this problem – Joker must apologise and make amends with Beast."

"But, since Joker does not seem to want to associate himself with Beast, then the simplest solution is to make her content with leaving him alone."

"Don't you dare – "

"There is always more than one way around a problem."

.

The one-eyed boy got a fright when the door suddenly opened and Sebastian walked out. He gave the boy a grin, his wine-coloured eyes twinkling, and walked right past him.

Ciel couldn't explain why his heart sunk.

"Eavesdropping is a dishonourable practice. I suggest you refrain from this in the future."

He jumped. "A-Ash…Sorry…"

The white-haired one excused him and asked if he was confused. This question alone confused the poor earl. They retreated back into the club room together, Ash saying that he'd answer any questions Ciel had. After all, an honest man such as himself needn't hide anything.

"Actually," he said, "No offense, but why are you so upset at Sebastian? In trying to help Beast forget her troubles, isn't he simply doing his duty as a host? I mean, he acts like a bastard, but he does have a caring heart…I mean, I think he does…I wouldn't know…"

His upperclassman sighed, "You should know, when he intervenes so actively in another person's affairs, it is because he has something to gain from it."

"Couldn't that be said of anyone?"

"Yes, but in his case, he little regard for other people, and will resort to any means possible to get what he wants."

Ciel bit his lip. He'd expected Sebastian to be this sort of person from the start, but hearing it from somebody who knew him well made his stomach knot itself. As he said goodbye to the white-haired one and made his way back to his suite, he thought over the matter. Perhaps Ash was just overreacting. After all, he was such a strict and pious person, _anyone_ could have fitted that description in his eyes. That idiot Sebastian was probably just trying to help, in his own twisted way.

.

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She hid her face behind an anatomy textbook, muffling sobs with a clenched fist. Even though her days in class were filled with music and fellow performers reciting their script, it was the quiet library where Beast found comfort. Suddenly, the book was snatched from her hands and when she looked up, she saw that irritatingly charming face from earlier today.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she hissed.

Ignoring the question, Sebastian softly said, "You have an interesting way of dealing with grief, my dear."

"It's none of your business."

Without being invited, he sat down in the unoccupied seat beside her. He took her hand, much like he did when they were at the club, and replied, "If you don't mind, I can make it my business. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on."

A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she weakly let him caress her fingers.

.

It was the first time in several days that he was able to sit under the glow of the stained glass windows, protected under the shade of the crucifix.

"I haven't seen you here in a while," it was that voice he hated, "Have you been too busy with your business to spend time with God?"

Ash refused to look his sister in the eye, choosing to continue staring at the patterns on the floor created by the light shining through the coloured glass. Quietly, he answered, "I came here to seek guidance."

Angela grinned. She shrugged off her uniform blazer and laid it neatly on the back of the pew before sitting down next to him. Leaning in a little closer, she asked in a teasing tone, "Is that Sebastian fellow causing you problems again?"

He didn't reply.

"You know, this Host Club thing is a waste of time. It only makes you worry."

Ash sniffed. "I doubt that it truly concerns you."

"But of course!" Angela said in mock surprise. "It breaks my heart to see my brother one-upped by his manipulative arch-rival."

"You two are not so different," Ash remarked.

She seemed lost for words for a brief second, then she gave him that angelic yet cunning smile and took her leave.

Relief swept over him as he heard her footsteps moving further and further away from the chapel.

.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed when he'd arrived at his suite. Just as he was about to open his door, the phone in his skirt pocket vibrated – it was a message from Joker, saying he'd come over soon to deliver the Economics notes Ciel had requested. Ah, yes. He remembered. The Economics classes he was currently taking were boring, and far too basic for him. After discovering that Joker studied Economics in the year above him, he had asked to borrow some of his notes to study instead.

Sure enough, in a matter of seconds, Joker made his way down the hall. Despite the awkwardness of the pile of notes he carried, there was a spring in his step and a smile on his face, as if none of today's events had happened.

"Hey, Skye! I brought them!" he chirped, holding out the stack of notes.

"J-Joker! I didn't think you'd get here so quickly…" Ciel stammered, wondering how his upperclassman could so easily forget how he'd yelled at that girl, and how Ash had threatened to kick him out of the Host Club.

_No problem, anything for you._

"It's nothing, I was just passing by anyway…" Joker kicked himself mentally for wanting to say something so cheesy.

"Passing by?" asked Ciel. It didn't make much sense; why would Joker be carrying all that stuff if he was just passing by?

Their conversation was interrupted by two familiar voices – a quiet, suave chuckle and a giggle that sounded just like…

"Oh, Joker, I didn't expect to see you here…" Beast said, trying to mask the shock on her face. She shuffled a little closer to Sebastian, who smiled the whole time.

"I-I was just dropping off some notes for my…friend, Skye."

Ciel nodded and managed to squeak out a 'how do you do', and Beast did likewise. He was still reeling from the sight of her and Sebastian walking arm-in-arm together, and a quick glance at Joker showed that he felt the same.

Beast held her hands behind her back and uttered to Sebastian that she had some homework to do and had to leave. Before she hurried back down the hallway, she meekly asked Sebastian to call her later, a request to which the latter agreed. The three of them watched as she entered the elevator, her dark curls bouncing around as she turned her head to take one last look at them.

"Well, then, please excuse me." said the red-eyed one with a confident smirk.

Shortly after he heard the click of Sebastian's door closing, Ciel took the notes from Joker's hands and thanked him hastily, then quite rudely slammed the door in the ginger one's face. His eyes seemed empty as he walked dejectedly away from Ciel's suite.

On the other side of the door, Ciel couldn't move. He sat propped up against the door, clutching the thick pile of Economics notes to his chest. All the things Ash had told him at the meeting came back to him. What was it that Sebastian was after, bringing Beast to his room like that? Surely he didn't want to…

No, no way.

But even for all his perfection, he was still human, with human urges and desires…

Still, in spite of how much of a bastard he was, he wasn't _that_ kind of person, right? To take advantage of a girl while she was emotionally unfit…he wouldn't stoop to that level, would he?

The earl whacked his own wigged head with the stack of paper. There was no reason for him to get so worked up, especially since he had so much work of his own to worry about. For all he cared, Sebastian could go and seduce every female student on campus. What that guy did was none of his business. Nodding decisively, he stood up and went to change out of his uniform, dumping the notes on his desk. Stopping at his wardrobe, he had a single, fleeting thought.

If he really didn't care what Sebastian did, then how could he explain how disappointed he felt?

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* * *

**A/N:** I broke my promise D: I said I'd update before New Year's… I'm so sorry T^T I couldn't post this up since I went to Tokyo and we didn't have a proper internet connection in our hotel room…but I had a fantastic time, basking in all the Kuroshitsuji glory :D

At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've been wanting to write this for so long now, I was so happy when the time finally came! Madame Red is one of the characters I've always loved…I'm actually a little sad that her arrival was overshadowed by Joker and Beast…

Do look forward to the next chapter! I'm excited for it too~

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Kagamine Len – _SPICE!_

CN Blue – _Oetoriya (I'm a Loner)_

Lady GaGa – _Bad Romance_

_._


	14. Lesson Twelve

Lesson Twelve: How to Tame a Wild Beast

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"We grew up together, Joker and I. Our parents were good friends, and his father treated me like I was part of the family. We always played together, we shared the same tutors…sometimes to save themselves the hassle, our families would even celebrate our birthdays at the same time."

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.

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Ash cleared his throat, as usual, to open the meeting. "Although autumn is still yet to come," he said, "Sebastian and I have decided that it would be favourable to do a Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival event next week."

Ciel noted the distaste with which Ash spoke the black-haired leader's name.

"Since it is an evening celebration, and an outdoor one at that, we believed that it was best to hold the event while the days are still warm. However we will require permission from the Board to hold an evening event, so we shall arrange a meeting with our staff representative."

As Ash stopped speaking, Sebastian picked up where he left off; explaining what would be required of the hosts. Each host had to design their own custom lanterns to be displayed on the grounds where they'd hold the event; they would have to be dressed in traditional Chinese costume – he had arranged for a tailor to come in and take their measurements; Chinese tea would be served, and mooncakes would be sold. Sebastian briefed them on where they'd order the cakes from and…

"Excuse me, Sebastian." said Soma, raising his hand. "No offense, but wouldn't it be better to make our own mooncakes instead? I'm sure the girls would buy more that way."

"That is a very enterprising idea, Soma," acknowledged the black-haired one. He jotted the suggestion down in the notebook in front of him. "Although I can't guarantee they'll be very well-made. I would have to make a hundred or so, in addition to the other jobs I have to do."

He was interrupted by the Indian boy again. "Oh, you don't have to make the mooncakes. Agni can handle it. Anyway, since Bengal is closer to China, I'm sure he could make better ones than you."

Agni tugged at his prince's sleeve, urging him to stop talking lest he suffer some unspeakable consequence. Panicking, he looked at Sebastian, who had in his eyes a fire that one would have had to go to hell to find.

"Please don't mind the Prince, Sebastian, he–"

Sebastian was beaming ear-to-ear, a sincere smile that betrayed the malice in his words, "Is that a _challenge_?"

"No, please–"

"You bet it is!" yelled Soma, thrusting a fist into the air.

Before Agni could protest, Ash spoke with an amused smile. "It is decided then. Agni and Sebastian will compete to make the best mooncake. Samples will be given away throughout the week for people to try, and the cake with the most votes will be sold at the event."

Soma bounced up and down in his seat like a five year old on sugar, excitedly pulling out his phone to look for mooncake recipes on the internet. Agni's head met the table with a muffled _thump_.

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"As we got older, Joker's father put more and more pressure on him. He wanted Joker to take over the medical branch of Kelvin Industries. Joker wasn't thrilled at the idea of being the president of a company that made wheelchairs and artificial limbs, but still, in order to make his father happy, he agreed to come to Stoneleigh Park, since it's renowned for its Economics department."

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A staff representative was a teacher who made appeals to the school Board on a club's behalf. A club would consult their representative if they were about to do something outside their normal activities or boundaries. Often it was important to prepare a good argument in order to persuade the representative to go to the Board, because if anything were to happen, the representative would be liable.

With this in mind, Ciel summoned all the courage he had when he and Sebastian went to speak to their representative after the club meeting. He was prepared to answer any question and put to rest any doubt that the event would succeed. He wasn't prepared, however, for _this_.

Mr. Coffin was a strange old Human Biology teacher with ragged clothes and long, disheveled grey hair. The corner of his mouth was chafed, perhaps from his profuse drooling, and he spoke in a sort of croon, like a pedophilic old man. It was rumoured that he was an undertaker before he took up teaching, and Ciel didn't think it very far-fetched. When they entered his inadequately-lit office, he offered them what looked like dog biscuits, which Ciel politely refused. This guy was too creepy for words, and instead of asking for the explanation Ciel had painstakingly prepared, Coffin said he would give them permission right off the bat, if they could make him _laugh_. Laugh! While Ciel was in disbelief, Sebastian gladly agreed and ushered Ciel out of the office, a confident grin on his face.

"Please stay here, and do not enter until I open the door for you." he told the bewildered boy, and shut the door.

He waited there in anticipation, tapping his foot impatiently. About a second later, manic laughter echoed from behind the door, loud enough to be heard across the entire campus. It didn't stop, either, after a good minute or so. Ridiculous, thought Ciel. What could Sebastian have done to make him laugh that hard?

Ciel couldn't wait there anymore. Going against his upperclassman's instructions, he swung the door open and put one foot in the doorway. When he saw what was going on inside, he wished he had never touched that door handle. Ciel ran out of the room, slamming the door with haste. He felt dizzy and had to prop himself up against the wall, trying desperately to erase from his brain the memory of little black pigtails and pink ribbons and cat paws.

A brief while later, the door opened again, and Sebastian exited the room dressed in proper uniform.

"He gave us permission." he said in an almost-whisper, running his fingers through his ebony hair awkwardly. Without waiting for Ciel's reply, he walked off.

The earl smiled knowingly. For the second time this week, Sebastian the Infallible proved to be otherwise.

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"When he moved to Stoneleigh Park, I didn't think much of it at first. But as the days went by it got lonelier and lonelier, and I realised how much he meant to me. Without him I was incomplete. I decided to follow him here, although my parents were against it. Call me stupid, but I'm studying all the subjects he wanted to study. I just want to be a part of what he's passionate about."

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Just as he did every Friday evening, Ciel sat at his desk brushing his wig, reading business reports and thinking on the happenings of the week that was. Sometimes, he and Sebastian would have a brief chat outside on their balconies.

Not tonight though. Tonight, Sebastian had told him, he'd be paying a special visit to Beast in her suite at the female-only hall.

Just what did he plan on doing? Ciel already knew, but was too scared to accept it for the truth. Ash was right – he didn't care about Beast and Joker's situation. He was simply trying to benefit from the suffering of others. He didn't notice it before, but he found himself wringing the grey locks of his wig in anger. He immediately let go, not wanting to damage it. Calm down, he told himself. Everyone did things for their own benefit, and it wasn't unusual to do so at the expense of others. But why did it have to be _him_? That insufferable bastard, only days ago Ciel had allowed himself to think well of him.

He was roused from his thoughts by a soft knock on his door. Aunt Anne.

"Hello sweetie," she chirped, "I thought you could do with a bit of company. Fancy a game of cards?"

Ciel couldn't help but smile as he let her in.

"Should I call for room service?" he asked while she made herself comfortable at the table by the French doors.

"No, thank you dear. But do you think Sebastian would like to join us?"

The smile on Ciel's face drooped. Of course, she didn't come here to simply play cards. "Not tonight, Aunt. He's gone out."

Angelina looked a tad disappointed. "That's a shame. I'd have liked to see him again. What's he up to?"

What, indeed. The boy didn't want to think of all the things Sebastian and Beast would be doing. He didn't want to, but his imagination didn't spare him. He was overcome with thoughts of their breathy whispers, flesh on flesh, their heated kisses. Ciel's hands clenched into fists, his nails digging painfully into his palms. It was nauseating.

"Ciel? Is something wrong?"

Snapping out of his disturbing thoughts, Ciel tried his best to look cheerful.

"I think he's gone to the library."

.

.

.

"Ever since I transferred to this academy, we've been drifting further and further apart. We used to meet up after class, have lunch and dinner together. Now he barely looks at me when I pass him in the hall. I don't know what happened – he just cut off all contact and when I approach him, he just avoids me. He'd never lost his temper at me though, until today."

The activity in the library seemed to stop. Beast bit her lip and looked away, as if she felt she'd said too much. Here was this person whose face was sickening to look at and whose comings-on were so tactless; a womanising stranger who couldn't tell her apart from any other customer of his. Why did she just blurt out her entire life story?

He cradled the anatomy text book in his arm, running his finger along the spine. Sebastian looked at her with interest, a kind smile on his lips.

"Things do change, my lady. People change, whether others like it or not."

She felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach. Blinking away the tears that formed in her eyes, she retorted, "I just want things to go back to how they were! I've given up so much to come here to be with him."

Sebastian smirked. "How selfless of you. Tell me though, if you're doing this all for him, then what would _you_ rather study?"

"Science," she sighed. "I would love to become a veterinarian some day. But I'd probably only accept feline patients."

The host gazed at her with wide eyes and reddening cheeks. "Cats, you say?"

"Yes, cats. I love cats – every species. They make such lovely companions. I was devastated when the academy wouldn't let me keep one in my suite." Her eyes, once red and teary, now had a glimmer in them.

The red-eyed student put his hand on her shoulder. "In that case, you must come with me. There's someone in my suite you may like to meet."

She gasped and quickly covered her mouth so as not to draw attention. "They actually let you…?"

Chuckling, Sebastian shook his head. "No, she only comes to visit from time to time, and I usually have to smuggle her in. It's worth the trouble though."

Forgetting her woes, Beast stood up, nudging her fellow cat-lover to bring her to meet this friend of his. She literally skipped to his room.

.

Bumping into Joker and Skye, however, was rather inconvenient. If they knew that Sebastian had smuggled a cat into the hall, he'd get into all sorts of trouble. Deciding to pass up the opportunity for now, Beast excused herself and made a hurried exit. Hopefully there would be another chance.

Sure enough, a couple of days later, she received word from Sebastian. How thoughtful of him – he'd offered to bring the cat over to her room that night, to save her the effort. It was just typical of a host to show such unnecessary courtesy. Although it was a little over-the-top, Beast humoured him.

He turned up not earlier, nor later than the time they'd agreed upon. In his arms was a bundle of black fabric. When she let him in, he set the bundle on the ground, and the cat emerged from underneath the material and mewled affectionately at her. Beast felt her heart melting as she picked it up and gently scratched its chin.

"She's beautiful," Beast sighed wistfully, "Is she yours?"

"No, but she frequently wanders around the school grounds. Perhaps she's from a nearby house, or she could be a stray. She is extremely sociable though – she didn't mind one bit when I took her to my suite for the night."

"How does she get by without her family? Doesn't she miss them?" She mused, playing with the feline's ears.

Sebastian sat down on the ground next to her. "Maybe. But cats are free spirits," he said, "And this one knows that she doesn't need to rely on others to define who she is."

Beast fell silent as the cat purred in her arms.

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.

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A couple of hours later, Madame Red had just about had it. She and her nephew had played every card game she knew, and then they'd resorted to chess and even board games – Ciel had won them all. Now, she knew that he had a flair for competition, and she knew not to lose her cool over a few games, but there was nothing worse for one's ego than being beaten by a child.

"Sorry, Aunt Anne," Ciel said sheepishly as he tidied up the table. "But you _did_ tell me not to go easy on you."

She rested her chin on her hand watched him. While he was still mercilessly competitive as he'd always been, Ciel seemed to have become less abrasive and easier to approach. Now he treated her more like a sister than a daughter. Angelina laughed at the notion. He still insisted on being an adult despite not being prepared for it in the least. Ciel put away the pack of cards and yawned, reminding her to check the time – half past ten. No matter how adult he wanted to act, come bedtime, Ciel would revert back to a child without fail.

He ruffled his own grey hair and drowsily crawled into bed. Angelina followed and sat at his bedside, quietly admiring the various trinkets he'd amassed on his bed-table. She picked up the music box and opened it, listening to the haunting tune with much awe. "This is lovely, Ciel!" she said, "Where did you get this?"

Ciel snatched the box away and placed it back on the table before she could read the inscription on the bottom. "It's from one of my customers at the Host Club." he replied hurriedly.

Thankfully, Aunt Anne didn't pursue the matter, instead holding his hand and stroking his hair as she waited for him to fall asleep. The earl fondly recalled how she would do this exact same thing back home, back when he was most afraid, and most lonely.

"Will you be coming back tomorrow evening?" he asked hazily, sleep finally catching up to him.

Angelina's expression was laden with guilt. "No, honey. I'm leaving in the morning."

"Oh," he whispered. "Have a safe trip then."

She furrowed her brows when she heard the disappointment in his voice. "I'm sorry, Ciel. You know I would love to stay longer, but I have to go back to work. When I have the time I can visit again,"

She looked back at the boy to find him fast asleep. He hadn't even taken off the surgical eye patch he wore in the evenings.

There was something so peaceful about him when he slept, she found. Even if he'd had the worst day, as soon as he put his head on his pillow, he would have the most angelic look about him. Carefully, she rose to her feet and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. She left the French doors slightly ajar when she took note of the sweat forming on his brow.

"Good night, my dear. Sweet dreams." she whispered, not expecting to be heard, as she turned off the lamp on the bedside table and left the room.

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.

.

The lights had already been dimmed in the hallway. It was about time to retire to bed. Sebastian held his precious bundle close as he tiptoed down the corridor towards the elevator. The cat had already fallen asleep, and he could feel her gentle breathing against his hand underneath the black blanket. Still mesmerised by the precious little thing, he was completely unaware that a familiar face was standing right in front of him.

"Pardon me, Miss Landers. I was preoccupied and didn't see you." he said, bowing slightly.

Angela didn't care so much for formalities. "Now this is interesting. The infamous ladies' man, Sebastian Michaelis, sneaking around the female-only residential hall at," she checked her watch, "A quarter to midnight. I wonder what he could be up to."

Sebastian took it all with a smile. "I suppose your brother has informed you of the recent happenings."

"Is this your idea of _heroism_, Michaelis?" she challenged. "Are you so conceited to think that one little romp with you is enough to fix all the problems of the female kind?"

"I assure you, Miss Landers, everything I do is in the lady's best interest."

She gave him a scornful smile before wordlessly heading off in the opposite direction. Sebastian held in a sigh and entered the elevator. At least she didn't inquire about the cat.

.

.

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Beast sat in her room, now alone. Sebastian's words repeated over and over in her mind. He told her she had shackled herself needlessly, that she didn't need someone else to define who she was. She didn't want to believe him – quite the contrary. She _wanted_ to be by Joker's side, supporting him all the way. She _wanted_ to achieve what he had always wanted to, but couldn't. On the other hand, she wanted to realise her own dreams and aspirations, and Joker didn't even want to lay his eyes upon her anymore. She burst into tears again when she recalled what he had said to her not so long ago. What did he tell her again? Oh, yeah…

.

.

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He was sick of this place. He was sick of the embers that seared his flesh but didn't leave scars, sick of the smell of smoke and smouldering flesh, the sound of crackling timber and crumbling brick. He was tired of running, but he still ran. The sweat made his clothes cling to his back like another layer of skin and he was out of breath, but he never stopped running.

.

_I can't lose you this time._

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He ignored the flames lapping at his feet and the smoke that stung his eyes and made him cough and sputter. There was no time to lose. He had to reach the shadow that stretched out its arm to either beckon him or chase him away.

It was coming, he knew it was, but he kept going. He reached the silhouette, but the floorboards gave way and he fell, stomach lurching and head swimming. Even though he knew this would happen, the prospect of falling through darkness for an eternity made his blood curdle in fear. He weakly held out his hand to grasp anyone, anything that could save him from the pitch-black abyss, however unlikely it was.

.

Never in a million years did he expect the hand that reached out, firmly grabbing his own and stopping his freefall.

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.

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Ciel awoke, inhaling deeply and opening his eyes wide. He shot upright and brought his hand to wipe the sweat from his head, except that this hand was being held in a strong grip. He turned his head to be greeted by Sebastian's crimson eyes. The boy quickly pulled his hand out of Sebastian's with a look of abhorrence.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded, his breathing still laboured.

Sebastian gestured to the French doors. "Your balcony doors were open. I merely thought to make sure you were all right."

"Don't waste your time," said Ciel dryly, still upset over his thoughts earlier that night.

"You seemed to be having quite a dreadful nightmare though, flailing your arms about and everything. Do you feel okay?"

Ciel rubbed his temple and waved his hand in dismissal. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I don't need you to babysit– Ah- Ah-_CHOO_!"

The startled earl sniffed indignantly. Why on earth did he sneeze? His eye was watering too, and it certainly wasn't because of his dream. He squinted, and in the near-dark he could see tiny white hairs stuck on Sebastian's casual blazer. Cat hair! The one and only thing Ciel was allergic to, and Sebastian had brought it right into his very room – it was not surprising in the least.

The black-haired student offered him a tissue from the bedside table and clasped his hands together. "Since you are well, I shall be taking my leave. Good night, little master."

Just as he had almost reached the door, however, Ciel's shy voice pierced through the dark room.

"Sebastian," he whispered, as if afraid someone would overhear, "Stay by my side until I fall asleep."

The addressed stopped with his hand on the handle of the French door.

"Please?" Ciel added weakly.

His upperclassman's face seemed to soften as he walked back. Ciel shuffled over to let him sit on one side of the bed, but as soon as he sat down, the one-eyed boy felt a sneeze about to escape again.

"And take off that jacket." he commanded.

Sebastian chuckled and obliged him. He leaned back against the headboard and just looked on as the boy settled back under the covers, squirmed around for a short while and finally began to fall asleep. He was an amusing one, this Earl Ciel Phantomhive. In this world, there were people who were trapped in their loneliness, but were more than capable of moving on; yet there were still others who thought they could move on, but were in fact terribly, pitifully lonely.

He looked like a heavenly being when he was asleep, noticed the black-haired one, much unlike his waking self. But how sloppy it was, to leave his eye patch on as he slept. Sebastian reached over to see if he could remove it, brushing his hand past Ciel's cheek in the process. When his fingertips made contact with the soft, young skin, they drew back abruptly. Curiously, he ventured his finger close to the cheek again, the gesture resulting in a few quick pokes. Ciel barely stirred.

Sebastian grinned – the little master's cheek felt just like…

.

.

.

"_Don't touch me." he said, in the monotonous voice he always spoke to me with._

"_But–"_

"_You disgust me."_

"_How can you say that? You're everything to me! I've given up so much to be here with you!"_

"_I only have eyes for one."_

_I choked back a sob, but my legs gave way and I simply fell into a heap on the floor._

_I couldn't believe it._

"_Good night," he said flatly._

_I listened to his footsteps getting quieter and quieter. I waited for him to come back and tell me he was just kidding and that we could go back to the way things were before. There was nothing._

_What hurt me most was that I would see him again the next day._

.

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* * *

**A/N**: So, Undertaker makes an appearance! I also had a teacher named Ms. Coffin when I was young – she was pretty scary too, but in a completely different way to good ol' Undie.

Sorry about the crazy time travel thing by the way; I thought it would make the chapter work better. And don't mind Soma's comment about Bengal and China and stuff – he's just being his over-confident and presumptuous self. ^^;;

Oh yeah! I Googled 'Stoneleigh Park', and it actually exists. I guess it was a little ignorant of me to believe otherwise… But yeah. FYI, the Stoneleigh Park referred to in this fanfic is not the same as the Stoneleigh Park you get when you look it up on Google. xD

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Miyavi – _Selfish Love_

Brown Eyed Girls – _Abracadabra_

Girugamesh - _Ishtar_


	15. Lesson Thirteen

I'm putting a **WARNING** here, for some coarse language. Now, on with the Lesson!

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Lesson Thirteen: A Rough Guide to the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

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"Mooncakes are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are many different kinds of mooncake, with different regions making their own variations. The baked, tender-skinned mooncake is the most common variety found in Western countries."

"That's great," came the dry response, "But I don't really care."

Sebastian set the cookbook down in his lap and grinned at the boy sitting on the adjacent balcony. "There's no better way to learn about a culture than through exploring their cuisine. This is highly educational material."

Ciel didn't look up from his portable gaming console as he said with disinterest, "It's the worst bedtime story ever, that's what it is."

His neighbour chuckled and closed the cookbook. "Ah, my little master. Ever the comedian, aren't you?"

He stood to his feet, and stretched his back and neck. The hour was late already, and he had to be up and ready for tomorrow.

"Where are you going?" questioned Ciel, eyes never straying from the small screen between his hands. "It's only ten o'clock."

"It is obligatory that I get adequate rest tonight. The mooncake competition _is_ tomorrow, after all."

"How do you expect to win when you've only read through that book once? Agni's not some idiot you know."

Sebastian opened the door halfway and beamed at him, "I'm Sebastian Michaelis. What would I do if I couldn't even make a winning mooncake?"

He scowled. "Whatever. We'll see what happens when you get beaten tomorrow."

"Goodnight then, little master."

.

Ciel finally looked up from his game once he heard Sebastian's door shut and the faint swishing sound of his curtains being drawn. One could have thought that he was pouting, though of course Ciel would never admit to it himself. He wasn't sure if it was the wisest of actions, asking Sebastian to keep him company until he fell asleep that night. The next morning, he awoke at seven o'clock to the sound of the red-eyed one knocking at his door and asking him whether or not Skye cared to join him for breakfast. Begrudgingly, he had splashed his face with cold water, thrown on his weekend attire (consisting of a pink summer dress that Aunt Anne had picked out for him, saying he had to wear it to protect his identity), and put on his wig and his best false smile, and groggily marched down to the dining hall with his unsympathetic neighbour.

Over breakfast, Sebastian acted rather gentlemanly and pleasant – he pulled out a chair for Ciel to sit in, poured tea for him, and even ordered on his behalf. And when their food arrived, things got worse. He attempted to feed Ciel a morsel of food from his own plate, after Ciel had profusely declined the offer, and had even wiped crumbs off the boy's cheek with his thumb. It was every girl's dream to be accompanied at breakfast by Sebastian Michaelis. Unfortunately, Ciel wasn't much of a girl. He could handle being waited on by the guy, but having him touch his face was just too much.

Ciel told him quietly, with his sweetest smile and his deadliest voice, that he was not a dependent and didn't need to be treated as such. All Sebastian did was raise his eyebrow and smile – that 'oh really?' look – and proceed to finish his meal.

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Honestly, who did this guy think he was?

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.

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This was the first time he'd really seen the club room so dramatically re-arranged. There were two platforms set up, each with a marble-top bench spanning across the entire length, a refrigerator and four-element stove and oven, and various pots, pans, bowls and utensils. Amongst these, Ash had proudly displayed custom-made mooncake moulds, bearing upon them the school crest.

In front of the platforms, a small crowd had gathered – it turned out that Ash had cleverly auctioned off a limited number of tickets to the event as soon as they'd decided there would even be a competition. The girls who had purchased the tickets would have the opportunity to taste the mooncakes at their freshest, and though any student at the academy could vote for their favourite, _their_ votes would carry the most weight. It was a tempting offer indeed, and judging by the way Ash smiled and pranced to the front of the audience, the auction had probably managed to bring in quite a profit.

He introduced the two contestants, who walked onstage carrying boxes of their chosen ingredients. After donning their aprons and setting up their equipment, Joker announced the start of the competition. The crowd seemed to be evenly divided into two groups; the pro-Sebastian group, and the pro-Agni group (which was led by none other than Prince Soma). The girls fervently cheered on their favourite host, going wild as they performed mundane actions such as sifting flour or breaking an egg.

"I see you have many supporters," said Sebastian to his opposition. "It would be a terrible shame to see them all crying once you lose."

Agni furrowed his brow, taking the taunt very personally. "Please do not be so haughty so soon, Sebastian. I am unsure as to how your unconventional ingredients will produce a winning result."

And Agni was right, Ciel noticed. The club had all been looking up recipes for mooncakes over the weekend, and while Agni had the finest traditional ingredients on his bench, Sebastian had stocked up on some rather ridiculous things – butter, white chocolate, a bouquet of roses, and a bowl of some kind of fruit, small and round with red, lumpy skin… The earl allowed himself to scoff a little. He hoped deep down that Sebastian would lose, not because he particularly wanted Agni to win, but to see the look of shock and horror on the bastard's face when he found out that he'd been defeated.

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An hour later, the two contestants presented their final product to the audience. Joker made his way back to the front and inspected the mooncakes.

"Soooo…Agni has baked us this wonderful little number. The pastry is a perfect golden-brown colour with just the right amount of glazing." he dissected the mooncake and pushed the two halves apart to inspect the inside. What awaited within was a smooth paste of red beans encasing a disc of preserved egg yolk.

"This is different," mused Joker. "Normally the yolk is in a spherical shape. A break from tradition, perhaps?"

Agni bowed as he spoke, "I sampled some commercial mooncakes as part of my research, and I found that if a mooncake used the usual spherical egg yolk, once it was cut and shared, not every piece would contain the yolk. To remedy this, I crushed the yolk and arranged it over a wider area of the cake. This ensures that every piece will contain some yolk."

One by one, the other hosts stepped up and tried a piece of Agni's mooncake. Ciel chewed slowly, allowing himself to savour the way the pastry crumbled, the smooth texture and flavour of the red bean paste, and the richness of the yolk. He'd had mooncake with a red bean filling before, but not one that tasted _this_ good. Sebastian was up against a formidable opponent.

They moved along to Sebastian's bench, on which sat a tray of unbaked mooncakes with translucent pink skins. Joker was baffled and struggled to explain Sebastian's work.

"W-would you mind telling us what you've made?" he laughed nervously.

"This is a snow skin mooncake. It is an non-baked variation of the cake which is distinctively more subtle and delicate in both flavour and texture compared to its baked counterpart."

Sebastian dexterously glided a knife through the mooncake to show off the inside. "The mooncake I have made today contains a white chocolate and rose custard filling, with a fresh lychee stuffed with rose petal jelly in place of the egg yolk, all contained within a strawberry-flavoured skin."

When Ciel bit into his piece, he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. The skin was delicately scented and chewy, but not tough. The silky custard was just the right sweetness and complemented the juicy lychee and rose jelly perfectly. It was delicate and refreshing, things he never thought a mooncake could be. At once he felt the need to spit it out, lest he vote for Sebastian's mooncake and allow him to win.

After the hosts sampled the cakes, they served the eager crowd. Reactions were mixed, but all the club needed was for the girls to go off and tell their friends about the mooncakes, regardless of how wonderful or terrible the girls thought they were. Once the clients had cast their votes, they were shown out of the club room, and the Host Club gathered again.

"Agni and Sebastian will make an additional two batches of their cakes, which we will cut up and offer to students around the school today and tomorrow." Ash declared. "Whoever tries the samples will be entitled to vote for their favourite. On Wednesday, the votes will be counted and the winner will make another hundred mooncakes to sell on the night of the event."

As the two competing hosts returned to their workstations and continued to bake, Ash briefed the others on the proceedings over the next week. It seemed that they would be receiving guidance from people who were most familiar with the Mid-Autumn Festival. He introduced them to a couple of students still seated in front of the platforms – one properly seated on a chair, and his female companion perched daintily on his lap, stroking his short, black hair. They were two exchange students from Shanghai; the boy was Lau and girl Ranmao. Lau was quick to greet the hosts and exchange the usual pleasantries, while Ranmao wordlessly stared at each of them for a good minute or so.

"Please excuse my sister," said Lau, smiling so much that his eyes completely disappeared, "She's quite shy around strangers."

Sister? Ciel wasn't sure if he'd misheard or if the Chinese student was just kidding around.

.

Sooner rather than later, Ciel found himself on mooncake duty. He stood by the entrance to the main building, a high-traffic area of the campus, behind a table where he'd arranged cupcake cases with a small slice of the rival mooncakes in each. They were proving to be quite a hit, especially amongst the female students, who were drawn more by the fact that it was Ciel standing there, and not because he was offering free food. Over the lunch hour, the box of votes slowly filled up, and although he was sorely tempted to, he didn't dare take a peek at the results. He didn't want to imagine how the two leaders would punish him if they found out. Immediately, his mind conjured up a picture of the cat costume Sebastian had used to threaten him last time…

"Oi, you, what are these things?"

How rude, thought Ciel. What kind of lowlife spoke with such disrespect at this academy? He looked up, and found himself nose-to-nose with a student he'd never encountered up until now, and all he saw were eyes the colour of the ocean and hair like spun gold. Given that it was their first meeting, this was far too close for comfort. Ciel stumbled back with a faint blush tinting his cheeks.

"Aww, your blush is the same colour as these little pink thingies!" proclaimed the boy, pointing at Sebastian's snow skin mooncakes. It only made Ciel blush harder.

"I-it's for an event our club is holding at the end of the week. You're w-welcome to try some and vote for your favourite."

The boy licked his lips and tried the mooncakes. He spent a great deal of time chewing on both pieces, a contemplative look on his youthful face. The earl was unimpressed – how difficult was it to chew a mooncake? At length, the boy inhaled, exhaled, and began to speak. He didn't want it to, but the suspense was killing him.

Finally, the boy said, "They both taste like shit. How do you expect people to eat these?"

Ciel was even more annoyed now. "Our club members worked very hard to make these mooncakes, so please don't criticise them so harshly,"

"I'm just telling the truth," shrugged the boy. "If you're not careful, you might kill some poor fucker by feeding her this." He smiled snootily at Ciel, a twinkle in his big turquoise eyes. The earl wanted to punch him.

The boy twirled on his heels and gestured at another boy, tall, dark-haired and bespectacled, probably about Ash and Sebastian's age. Ciel hadn't even noticed he was standing there. When the tall one quietly walked over, the noisy one slapped him on the back with enthusiasm.

"Let's go Claude. This sorta crap doesn't deserve my attention."

Ciel watched the pair walk away. He wasn't entirely sure what just occurred. All he knew was that he never wanted to bump into that kid again.

.

.

.

That Saturday evening, the courtyard glowed. Paper screens had been erected around the perimeter of the area and there were areas where tables and chairs had been placed, and various paintings and ceramics (which the Host Club had sourced right from China with help from Lau) were on display. The custom-designed lanterns were exhibited in the centre of the area, visible from every seat. The first of the attendees arrived in time to watch the lanterns being lit as the sun set lazily in the distance, and of course, purchase the evening's freshest batch of the winning mooncake. Earlier that day, Ciel had spent many long hours counting the votes, hoping upon hope that Sebastian would be defeated. Soma had been assigned to count votes too (Ash didn't trust him to do anything else), but had long since given up on the task and resorted to scrunching up the voting papers and throwing them at the earl in order to pass the time.

When all the votes were counted though, Ciel was somehow unsurprised when Sebastian came out victorious.

Soma was far from happy when he learned the result of the competition, refusing to talk to Sebastian for a whole day, and saying spitefully to the other hosts that the ebony-haired host was lucky that Agni hadn't used his 'Right Hand of God', or something like that (Ciel wasn't sure he heard right, but then again, Soma tended to spout off a lot of rubbish anyway).

Now, there was an antique Chinese table in the centre of the courtyard displaying Sebastian's pretty pink mooncakes, packaged neatly in boxes lined with brocade, selling for £25 each. It was quite an unreasonable price, thought Ciel, but knowing those dim-witted girls, they'd buy the cake in a heartbeat simply because Sebastian had made it.

The other hosts were scattered around the area, chatting with their clients and serving them tea. The two exchange students seemed to be having fun too. Lau seemed to be drawing a lot of female attention despite having his 'sister' clinging to him the whole time. He made his way towards the one-eyed boy with a friendly smile on his face – one that Ciel was somehow unable to trust.

"Good evening, Ciel. It's very busy tonight."

"No busier than usual," replied Ciel, turning his attention to the crowd before them.

"This is nice," said Lau, "My house could use something like this,"

.

…wait, what?

.

Ciel spun back around to catch Lau lifting a ceramic vase off its stand and attempting to somehow tuck it into his wide sleeve.

"What do you think you're doing!" growled the grey-haired boy. Lau smiled again, innocently, as if he hadn't done a thing.

"I was simply admiring this fine vase," said the Chinese student, gently placing the vase back in its original place.

Ciel's eyebrow twitched. "Of course you were."

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Any girl who made eye contact with her received a cold glare in return. Now that she thought about it, it was stupid of her to come here and look for him. There was somebody for him already. It was probably _her_. Who could blame him though? She was such an angel, with that slender figure and those long, silky locks and those deep blue eyes. Her innocent face and vulnerable stature would make anyone want to be her Prince Charming. Joker had always been the type to want to come to someone's rescue.

She explored the courtyard tentatively, half-hoping she wouldn't bump into him, and half-hoping she would. It was plain and simple to her though – her stubbornness and standoffish nature left much to be desired. She couldn't stand a chance against the Beauty, while she herself was…well…

"Beast,"

She turned around, hearing the familiar way in which he'd said her name. She didn't know whether to leave or to walk towards him with a warm smile, so she ended up standing frozen in place as he approached her.

His stance softened when he finally stood before her. The glow of the lanterns illuminated his face, so that his stern eyes seemed gentle, just like they were when the two of them were young.

"I didn't expect to see you here," he said, not threateningly, nor uncaringly.

Beast cautiously smiled, "Just…browsing."

Before the amused Joker could respond, she hurriedly lied, "Sebastian invited me so I thought I'd check it out." After all, she didn't want to suffer the embarrassment of admitting she'd come to find him.

"Oh," The warmth on Joker's face seemed to disappear for just a second. "Well, enjoy the night." He said, putting on a smile for her.

She had wanted to say something else, anything, strike up a conversation, but soon enough Joker was headed for a group of girls, probably regular clients of his, who were calling his name and waving excitedly at him.

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Only one hour had elapsed since the event officially started, but the mooncakes on the antique table were dwindling at an alarming rate, and yet more girls kept coming, demanding the delicate, refreshing flavours of Sebastian's creation.

An unsettled Ash had reported the situation to his co-leader. Thankfully Sebastian, in an excellent demonstration of foresight, had prepared an emergency batch of fifty-or-so extra cakes in case a shortage occurred prematurely. Being the newest member, and the host with which the club had the most leverage, Ciel was instructed to fetch the second batch of mooncakes from the club room.

Trudging down the darkened corridor of the East wing alone, Ciel grumbled and moaned to himself about all the injustices in the world, of which this was one. He entered the door at the end of the hall and went to the refrigerator they'd kept there to store the mooncakes, just as instructed. However, when he opened the refrigerator and peered inside at the pastel pink cakes, instruction and obedience were lost on him as his stomach took over. He suddenly remembered, he had barely eaten all day while busy preparing for the festival…

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"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Ash. "The clients were promised an extra batch of cakes. Why are they not here yet?"

Sebastian checked his watch. "This is most peculiar indeed. Perhaps something happened to our dear Ciel along the way?"

Grell unceremoniously butted into the conversation from a nearby table, "Maybe he got eaten by a tiger?"

The girls who accompanied him gasped in horror.

It was getting late, and the event was soon to draw to a close. Sebastian volunteered to go off in search of the young earl and the missing mooncakes. It was possible that he had gotten lost – after all, it was rather dark. He figured that the club room was a suitable place to begin his search.

When he opened the door, he was met with the most amusing thing he'd seen all night. Ciel had fallen asleep, sprawled across one of the chaise longs, with an empty tray on his lap – the one that had previously carried the second batch of mooncakes. It seemed that the boy had a penchant for sweet things.

"This won't do at all, little master." said Sebastian, more to himself than to the slumbering host. "You've just consumed a rather large amount of potential profit that must be returned to the club somehow."

He looked around the dimly lit room for ideas, when his gaze settled upon the camera that he'd taken with him that time they went to the beach. A devilish smile shot across his lips.

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He had gathered an impressive audience as he stood in the centre of the courtyard. Once the mumbling and giggling had subsided, he finally spoke.

"I regret to announce," Sebastian began carefully, "that we have run out of mooncakes to sell."

The crowd began to chatter again, many of the girls were disappointed and were about to leave.

"However," he continued, cutting short all the background chattering, "the Host Club has instead procured a very rare item, and have decided to hold an auction for it."

He held up the framed photograph for all the female students to inspect. Their excited voices increased in volume as more and more of them caught sight of this 'very rare item' – a picture of none other than Ciel, sleeping like a baby after having finished off the last of the mooncakes.

"Bidding will start at fifty pounds," Sebastian chirped. Immediately, a client raised her hand, and the fierce bidding war commenced.

Fifty pounds, then one-hundred, then two-hundred. The other hosts were flabbergasted at the prospect of one photograph bringing in as much profit as the batch of mooncakes they were expecting. Still, the bids went higher, reaching five-hundred and fifty pounds, six-hundred, seven-hundred…

"One thousand, five hundred pounds!" called out one girl.

Ash didn't let off how relieved he was. Even if the bidding stopped now, this price was already greater than what they would have earned with the cakes. Sebastian acknowledged the bid happily and asked for higher bids. The entire courtyard fell silent. None dared to challenge such a fearsome amount of money.

A single hand was raised, somewhere in the back of the crowd. The voice that called out was hard to hear, but those who were closer to the daring girl were shocked.

"Could you please repeat yourself?" asked Sebastian.

The girl said again, "Three-thousand pounds."

Sebastian, unfazed, acknowledged her bid, and again challenged the audience. Before they knew it, at the price of £3,000, the photograph was going, going…

"Gone!" announced Sebastian, encouraging a round of applause from the other awestruck bidders. "Congratulations to the young lady at the back. Please come forward to claim your limited edition collector's item."

As the girl made her way to the front of the crowd, for a while all Sebastian could see was her long, blonde hair. After accepting the photograph she simply stared at it with bright eyes, ignoring all the people around her.

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Once they had thanked the Host Club for an enjoyable evening, Lau and Ranmao went on their way. The club members expressed their gratitude to the two Chinese students for their help, though Ash was by far the most grateful and probably the most pleased with the result of the night.

The walk back to the residential hall was a lazy one. Lau was intent on taking in the crisp night air as much as possible before retiring to bed. They were almost there, when he noticed that Ranmao was no longer following him. He turned around to see where she'd gone. There she stood, several metres away, pointing at an object on the ground.

"What is it?" said Lau as he walked back to the quiet girl. Next to her feet lay the photo frame that Sebastian had used to display the picture at the auction. The frame was broken and splintered, and the glass had been smashed into a thousand shards. The photograph, however, was not there.

Lau sighed, "There's nothing interesting to see, Ranmao. It was probably a jealous boyfriend or something."

He put his arm around her shoulder and they returned to their suite without a second thought.

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He looked like a living corpse, the way he sat hopelessly in the chapel. His lean frame drooped and his head hung so that no light could reach his face.

"It's not often that I find company here," mused a female voice.

The boy looked back to see who it was. She was a senior who often passed him by in the corridors of the school, a kind and benevolent face, someone who looked like she could do no wrong and had no ulterior motive.

"I came here to look for guidance, I guess." he said, and then, darkly, "Something was taken from me."

Angela's expression was compassionate. She walked over to the pew he sat in, and took a seat next to him. The boy met her gaze, turquoise eyes watering like some kind of injured animal.

She asked, "Have you tried taking it back?"

"It doesn't want to come back." was the reply, full of despair.

She furrowed her brow in disapproval and gathered the boy up in her arms. He began to sob, to cry his little heart out, the poor thing. Life was unfair and one was constantly forced to make one's own justice in this world. Stroking his golden hair, Angela quietly gave him some simple words of advice.

"You must avenge yourself. Punish the thief and the thing that it stole – it's the only way you can recover from this."

He looked up at her again and nodded with conviction. "I will," he said, "Thank you,"

The boy gave her a tight hug before he stood up and began to leave the chapel. She leaned back in the pew, a content sigh escaping her lips.

"Miss," called the boy from afar. She turned her attention to him.

"Please don't tell anyone."

Angela smiled warmly, reassuringly. "Not a soul." she replied. Of course, it wouldn't be fitting for her to tell another. A person's greatest struggles were the ones that nobody else knew about.

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A/N: Another late chapter! Dx It's a little bit longer than the others too… anyway, I started work. It's pretty busy, and I still have to do assessments and stuff…but at least I get paid.

So, who has read the latest chapter of the manga? Personally I found it to be really short! Even so, I loved it, all the chivalry and insanity and stuff. I don't wanna spoil it for those who haven't read it yet though…

Also, do tell me which one you'd prefer – Sebastian's snow skin mooncakes, or Agni's traditional baked ones? I basically just Googled 'mooncake' and studied whatever results were brought up. As a result, I have about a million pictures of pretty and interesting mooncakes. You guys should check it out too, and see you if can get your hands on some when the Mid-Autumn festival comes around~

See you in the next Lesson!


	16. Lesson Fourteen

Lesson Fourteen: This Ain't a Fairy Tale (Part One)

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It was the usual story, the start of a typical lunch break. Ciel had shuffled into the café, picked at his main meal and finished both his and Soma's desserts, and then quietly slipped out to the East Wing, to the room at the end of the hallway.

However, the club room was filled with more energy than usual today. His clients seemed to giggle a lot more, and engage more in their own conversations than with him. Strange…normally whatever he had to say would be far more interesting than that. Attempting to draw the topic of conversation back his way, he cleared his throat and said, "So, may I ask you ladies how you enjoyed our Mid-Autumn Festival event last week?"

Strangely, his question was met with more blushes and giggles. How ridiculous! Couldn't they just answer him without making him feel stupid? Why did he get the feeling they knew something he didn't?

Soma bounded over to where Ciel sat, chipper as usual, and grabbed him across the chest and shoulders in an almost-hug. As discreetly as he could, Ciel attempted to shuffle out of the prince's embrace.

"Of course they enjoyed it, Ciel!" exclaimed Soma on behalf of the clients, "Thanks to you, even _Ash_ enjoyed himself!"

Ciel's eyebrows rose involuntarily. It was true, Ash was seldom impressed by anything, but he had no idea what he'd done to make his club leader so happy. As if to feed his curiosity, Client Number 10 sighed forlornly, lamenting over the fact that she didn't have the guts to challenge the £3,000 bid. Numbers 5 and 33 commiserated.

"Bid? There was an auction?" mused Ciel, blinking.

The Indian prince chuckled. "Silly Ciel! Don't you remember? We auctioned off the photo Sebastian took of you sleeping in the club room!"

Ciel's eye shot wide open. "Sebastian did _WHAT_?"

His outburst startled the clients, who fell quiet for a second before starting up again:

"Oh, Sebastian didn't ask for permission before he sold the photo!"

"Perhaps he selected it from his private collection?"

"He has a private collection of photos of Ciel?"

"Obviously!"

"No wonder Ciel's upset – personal photos shouldn't be auctioned off like that…"

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The grey-haired boy groaned. It was sadly commonplace at the academy for facts to get distorted like this.

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"Oh no! What if Ciel won't go to the ball with Sebastian now!" cried Client Number 5.

"The…ball…?" Ciel interrupted. He was always the last to know about such things.

"Oh!" exclaimed Number 5, realising he'd been listening. "The annual ball is coming up soon, Ciel. I heard the tickets have almost sold out – you should get one soon."

At this, he chuckled and smiled warmly at his clients. It was amusing that they saw him every week without fail, yet they knew so little about him. "I hate to tell you, but I'm not particularly interested in large social gatherings like the ball. I might opt not to attend."

The girls didn't hide their disappointment well.

To be frank, Ciel wasn't simply disinterested in large social gathering like the ball; he despised them and tried his best to avoid them at all costs. He hated it all – the boring speeches, the pretentious hosts, the annoying socialites wanting to suck up to him. It was all a ridiculous farce. He wasn't bothered in the slightest to see the girls' disheartened faces as they left the club room that afternoon.

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"As you all know, the theme for the ball is 'Happily Ever After' – a fairy tale theme. Of course, as the Stoneleigh Park Academy Host Club, we must look out best. I have arranged for costumes to be tailor-made for each of you. We will each attend as a Prince Charming character from various fairy tales."

Ash grinned confidently after his announcement. It was good to be in control of the matter – a lot of fuss had been saved.

The other club members didn't share in this sentiment though, and the first to speak up was (of course) Sebastian.

"I don't mean to offend you, Ash," he said with that patronising smile, "But I myself would much rather go as the White Rabbit from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

And then as expected, the rest of the club began throwing around their own costume ideas too.

"I thought it'd be fun to go as Puss in Boots," said Joker.

Ciel drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. "I'm not even _going_…"

"I wanna go as Cinderella's fairy godmother~!" squealed Grell, to the objection of the other hosts (for reasons Grell couldn't fathom, they disapproved of the fact that he wanted to go as a female).

Soma bounced around in his seat. "I know! I know! I'll go as Guy Fawkes!"

"Soma, Guy Fawkes was a real person," sighed the earl.

In the end, Ash gave in. The hosts would each have their own costume made to their liking – minus Soma, who was told to choose a fictional character, and Grell, who was made to choose a male one.

The next line of business was Ciel's reluctance to attend the ball altogether.

No matter what they said, Ciel was not to be swayed. Prestigious guests had been invited to attend; a symphony orchestra was scheduled to play; the female students spent thousands on their gowns, hair and makeup – none of these reasons could convince Ciel to change his mind. Then out of the blue, Sebastian said quietly;

"Some of the best chocolatiers and patissiers have been invited to create a dessert buffet for the evening. It is causing quite a stir at the moment."

The black-haired one pulled out a piece of paper from his blazer pocket and handed it to Ciel. It was a tentative menu for the desserts on the night.

Ciel bit his lip as he read through the list – mille feuilles, sorbets, macarons, tarts, puddings, gateaux… He couldn't think of any dessert that wasn't on the menu. All of this, served in an all-you-can-eat style. It was too good to be true.

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It was three in the afternoon. Ciel packed up his bag and left the classroom in a hurry. He made his way to the student office, weaving speedily through the crowds of other students in case there would be a queue. When he arrived, however, he was greeted by a sign placed on the door, with four grave words printed boldly on it: _Ball Tickets Sold Out_.

He returned to his room in a huff. Just when he had a reason to go to the ball, the opportunity was denied. But why was he complaining? He was originally against the idea anyway, and he had told the girls at the club that he wouldn't be attending. It would be awkward if he bumped into them there on the night. Yes, it was better that he didn't get a ticket – even if he did miss out on the world-class dessert buffet.

"Judging by the sour look on your face, is it safe to assume that you were unsuccessful in procuring a ticket?"

Ciel looked up at Sebastian leaning against the door to his suite. He was so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't noticed that he'd arrived on his floor already. The boy quickly moved to his own door and reached for the card key in his pocket.

"And judging by your avoidance, is it safe to assume I'm right?"

"Shut up," snapped the earl, "You've ruined my day already, don't make it worse." He opened his door and quickly retreated inside, only to have Sebastian follow him in, keeping his foot in the door and making it rather difficult to close.

"Do elaborate," egged his neighbour.

"Don't play dumb!" Ciel hissed, "You took a photo of me while I was asleep and _sold_ it!"

Sebastian folded his arms. "Have I done wrong? There wasn't much else I could do to make up for all the moon cakes you'd eaten."

Ciel's cheeks went pink at the retort. Having proven his point, Sebastian left without another word, leaving the door ajar. The earl remained staring at the gap in the doorway where his neighbour used to be, feeling an unpleasant emptiness creeping over him.

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This Friday, the Host Club was closed so that students could spend their lunch hour making last-minute arrangements for the ball that evening. Even the hosts themselves had gone out to meet with their personal tailors and stylists. The café was strangely empty, but Ciel didn't mind – he was able to ask for a second helping of dessert.

Out of habit, he found himself hurrying to finish his meal, and to slip out to the club room. Once he opened the door, he was startled to find not a soul there. He had to consciously remind himself that the club was not in session today. Grimacing, he turned on his heels, headed for the door, and walked straight into Joker.

"Skye!" said the taller boy, "What are you doing here?"

"Not a lot, apparently." replied Ciel dryly. "What about you? Shouldn't you be organising your ball costume?"

The ginger one shrugged. "I was gonna have a quick rummage through the storage cupboard for props, but when I got here I realised I forgot the key…"

Ciel oh-ed, and then there was silence.

Joker cleared his throat uncomfortably and, in a barely audible voice, said, "It's too bad you won't be going, Ciel."

"Even if I wanted to go, the tickets have sold out." Ciel smirked, "It would take some miracle to get me to the ball."

His upperclassman sighed. "Well, at any rate, I think I speak for all the guys when I say that you'll be missed."

"You say it like you'll never see me again."

A laugh. "I'll just miss that smile," he said, and left without another word.

After Joker left, Ciel exhaled loudly and closed the club room door, locking himself in. This was how it used to be, back when he'd first started at the academy. This was what his lunch hours were like before the Host Club – quiet, tranquil…

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…Lonely.

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Peculiar, he thought, that he would feel this way. Being alone didn't usually bother him, and on days when Soma wouldn't shut up and Sebastian constantly annoyed him, he wanted nothing more than to be on his own. For almost every lunch hour over the last few months, all he'd known was the Host Club. On days when the club wasn't open, he would still be with one of the other hosts, even if they weren't doing much in particular. Now that he was finally alone again, he wasn't sure that he liked it.

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Tonight, Ciel found combing his wig while reading company reports to be unappealing, giving up after only ten minutes. He checked the clock – half past six. The ball would be starting in half an hour or so…but why was he thinking about that? The boy chuckled coldly. He had better things to do than to attend stupid fancy dress balls with those empty-headed students and those pompous guests of honour and those wonderful desserts…

He banged his head on the desk and prepared himself for a potentially long night.

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It was five minutes past seven when he glanced at the clock again. In the hour that was, he had done some homework, played a game of chess against himself, taken a power nap (it lasted one minute), built a card tower, sent an email to Aunt Anne, and watched a ridiculous video on the internet about some idiot gushing over a double rainbow. Nothing seemed to hold his interest for very long. Why did this have to happen tonight? No matter what he did, his train of thought would eventually lead back to images of the dessert buffet; the beautifully decorated cakes, the little petits fours sitting on tiered cake trays, the magnificent croque-en-bouche towering behind it all.

Once he admitted to himself that the tiniest part of him might want to go to the ball, Ciel reminded himself that it would most definitely take a miracle to get there anyway. At least, that was what he thought, until he heard a dainty tap on his door.

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The hosts met together in the foyer at the beginning of the evening for a debrief of what was expected of them, and also to make sure their costumes were nothing short of perfect. Of course, a few pictures were taken too, mostly by their clients who happened to walk past them.

"Hey," mused Joker, perking up and looking around at the rest of the club members. "Wasn't Grell supposed to be coming?"

"Quite right," agreed Agni. "Where could he be?"

Ash raised a snowy white eyebrow. "I was beginning to wonder why it was so quiet."

"Grell has another matter to attend to," said Sebastian, glancing at the pocket watch that comprised part of his White Rabbit costume. "He will be running a tad late."

"It had better be just 'a tad'." said Ash threateningly.

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Ciel stood up from his seat and cautiously walked to the door. Who could it possibly be? He was sure that the entire academy had gone to the ball. It didn't make sense for anyone to be wandering the halls of residence at all, let alone come knocking on his door.

He looked into the peephole and found brilliant green staring back at him.

Urgh.

He opened the door and didn't bother to look at his visitor. "What do you want, Grell."

"Now, now my darling! That's no way to greet your elder! Especially since I've come all this way to help you~"

The earl turned around to retort, but choked on his words when he caught sight of the redhead. Grell was decked out in a black and red gown adorned with lace and frill, a flamboyant black feather headpiece, fishnet stockings, and stilettos that even Madame Red would cower at. In his gloved hands were a trunk and a tacky-looking magic wand.

"What the _hell_ are youwearing?" cried the boy in utter shock.

Without hesitation, Grell cried back, "Don't say such impolite things to your fairy god-sister!"

Ciel failed to mask his distaste. "God-_sister_?"

"Of course." said the redhead, adjusting his spectacles, "Because 'godmother' implies an unacceptably large age gap between the two of us."

Sighing, Ciel relented and let him in before anyone came along and saw him in that preposterous outfit.

"Again, may I ask what you're doing here?"

Grell giggled and did a twirl-and-curtsy. "It's my job to make sure you get to the ball, my dear~!"

"That's impossible," dismissed Ciel, "I don't have a ticket."

"Ah, _Ciel Phantomhive_ couldn't get his hands on a ticket, but _Skye Barnett_ managed to reserve one just before they ran out~!"

Grell pulled out a ticket with Skye's name inscribed on it, and waved it in Ciel's face. The one-eyed boy felt his heart start to pound. Those delectable cakes and sweets! He could almost taste them now. But if the ticket had Skye's name written on it, it would mean he'd have to wear…

The psychotic redhead set the trunk down on the ground and opened it. Various accessories, compacts, tubes and brushes lay in disarray within. From underneath the mess, Grell extracted a great heap of pink, black and white and approached Ciel with a horrifying grin plastered on his face.

It was too late for him.

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His breathing was laboured and his hands trembled as they clutched the vast amounts of fabric that was his ball dress. There was nothing good about this costume. The hat, lined with roses, added extra weight to his loathsome wig; the skirts were so heavy that every step he took was a chore; the makeup made his skin itch; the bloody corset (yes, a corset) was far too tight, and to top it all off, the glass slippers he'd been given were pinching his toes. Nevertheless, he took a deep breath and, putting aside his fear (and his pride), entered the ballroom, dragging behind him gratuitous layers of pink and white frill.

The crowd seemed to part before him as he made his way across the hall. Bewildered students gathered and whispered amongst each other. Wasn't that Skye Barnett, the recluse who never spoke and loathed everyone? What was she doing here?

Ciel scanned the room for a familiar face, and to his surprise he found more than expected – all his regular clients were present, as were his classmates, Beast, Lau and Ranmao, Mr. Coffin… even that boy with the heinous attitude and the guy who followed him like a shadow. Many of these were people Ciel preferred not to bump into.

He shuffled over to the dessert table that sat gloriously at the front of the ballroom. Oddly, not many people were there, save for one girl in a pristine white dress with jewels and white roses in her auburn hair. When she turned around, Ciel could have sworn he'd seen her before, and when he heard her voice, he knew for sure who she was.

"Your dress is lovely," she said through a mouthful of chocolate éclair. Then she smiled and the little spots on her nose and cheeks seemed to move with her.

"Thank you," Ciel replied shyly. It was strange seeing Freckles like this. Unlike his other clients, she never wore any makeup and didn't care much for materialistic things. When she met with him, they chatted about intelligent and philosophical matters, though she had a rather tactless and blunt way of expressing herself. The girl that stood before him now was far from the almost boyish Freckles he knew. She looked elegant, delicate, like a doll.

Freckles patted him on the back roughly (he was instantly convinced that only her outward appearance had changed), and gestured towards the stack of plates at one end of the table. "Grab a plate from there. I suggest you try the key lime cheesecake and the white chocolate tiramisu."

"Oh…th-thanks," he weakly reached for a plate as he was told.

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Skye," he replied.

"Nice to meet you, Skye," she extended her hand, "I don't like my name, but one of my good friends calls me Freckles, so you can call me that."

"F-freckles?" he stuttered. Surely he hadn't called her that to her face?

She chuckled. "Yeah, he didn't say it to me directly. I just overheard him talking with someone else. I like it though."

Ciel's cheeks burned. He couldn't believe he'd slipped up! And a nickname like 'Freckles' wasn't the worst – what if some girl had overheard him referring to her by her number? The earl tightened his grip on the dessert plate in his hands. His sweaty palms were dampening his gloves.

"Ah well. Enjoy the night, Skye! I'll see you around!"

And with that, she left. Ciel didn't even have time to respond.

No matter. Now he had a whole table of desserts to make his way through.

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Grell, who had finally arrived, stood with Sebastian around the periphery of the room, watching the little earl as he hobbled away clumsily in his glass slippers, his first dessert in hand.

"It's not fair~! Why does he get to wear a gown?" whined the redhead, who had conceded to the other hosts and turned up in male evening wear. Granted, he was still allowed to give the costume a bit of his own flair; the redhead had decided to give his suit a Cheshire Cat twist, wearing an airy ivory shirt with a maroon waistcoat and trousers, a pink-and-purple striped scarf, a tail and cat ears, and fluffy pink trim adorning his shoes. He insisted that he had to be a character from the same fairy tale as Sebastian.

"_She_ wears a gown because _she_ is a lady." Sebastian said.

His fellow host sulked. "You're mean, Sebastian. Why do you do so much for that boy?"

"You needn't exaggerate my efforts."

"Going so far as to reserve the last ticket for him and design the dress yourself…The other boys will get a shock to see him here."

Sebastian glanced sideways at Grell. "You didn't tell anyone, did you?"

"Not yet, my darling," Grell's green eyes sparkled. "But I can keep a secret as long as you…"

He leaned in and whispered something into the ear of the black-haired one, who paled instantly.

"Please refrain from suggesting such obscene things, Mister Grell."

"Oh! I love the way you say my name~!" he grabbed Sebastian's arm and squeezed it.

.

While Sebastian struggled against the overbearing redhead, four pairs of eyes fell upon Ciel as he sat gobbling down his raspberry and frangipane tart…

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* * *

**A/N:** I missed you guys! Been trying to juggle work, assignments, family, boyfriend, friends and hobbies…and it's not working very well.

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! I got so excited to include the dress Grell wore in the musical, AND Ciel's komadori dress. I ended up writing more than expected, so we'll be seeing more of the ball in the next Lesson~

I'm also currently going through each Lesson again and making adjustments and corrections to some pretty sloppy spelling and grammar mistakes. So embarrassing!

One last thing, don't forget about the people in Japan. There's been another bigger-than-normal earthquake recently, and though there's been progress, I guess they're still trying to get things under control.

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Disney's Cinderella OST – _Bippity Boppity Boo_

Antique OST – _Cake Paradise_ (Korean movie about boys making cakes and kissing each other~ go check it out!)


	17. Lesson Fifteen

Lesson Fifteen: This Ain't a Fairy Tale (Part Two)

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Tarte aux pommes, platters of macarons, panna cottas in ornate ramekins, a fountain of molten Godiva chocolate… All lined up for him, waiting to be sampled. Ciel was worried that he would have to stab himself with his dessert fork to make sure he wasn't dreaming. In the midst of this glorious orgy of cream and butter and sugar, the boy became blissfully unaware of the pain he suffered from his costume. Heck, he forgot he was even _at_ the ball.

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He could recognise him anywhere, even in a crowd this big, even when dressed like _that_. Dark eyes locked on to blue-grey pigtails half hidden beneath a pastel pink hat lined with roses. They followed the bouncing curls to and fro, around the dessert table. When there was a parting in the crowd, Joker could finally see Ciel in full costume – a voluminous pink ball gown and glass slippers. The host hadn't expected to see the earl there. Just this afternoon, the boy had already said he didn't have a ticket. Perhaps a miracle really did happen?

His made-up eyes trailed after the boy as he hobbled around the desserts. It was cute and hilarious all at once.

"Who're you lookin' at, Joker?"

It was Soma, dressed as a formal sort of Pinocchio with lines drawn on his face and hands too look like puppet joints. String was attached to his shirtsleeves at the wrists and elbows, and he carried around an extendable fake nose, just for laughs.

"It's Skye," said Joker, pointing in Ciel's general direction. "I didn't know she was coming."

"Neither! Let's go say hi!"

Before Soma could prance away, Agni stopped him. The taller one had decided to stay on the conservative side and wear traditional Bengali formalwear.

His voice was gentle but reprimanding. "I don't think it's a good idea, my Prince. There must have been a reason why Master Ciel chose not to tell us he was coming. Perhaps he didn't want us to see him like this."

"Like what?" said Soma, "You mean, in a dress? Well, we saw him anyway!" The boy pouted and folded his arms.

Joker was slightly disheartened when he considered Agni's comment. Was Ciel really trying to avoid them all? Why would he do something like that? Was there something he was hiding from the rest of them, something he didn't want them to see? Ciel wasn't that type of person, was he?

At any rate, Ciel looked adorable in that costume.

.

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He had made it through the entire table of desserts, sampling one after another, until there was but one left, a culinary masterpiece – a base of biscuit joconde beneath layers of pistachio mousse and raspberry dark chocolate ganache, garnished with chopped pistachio nuts and gold leaf.

The orchestra had begun to play. It was probably wise to have the last dessert now, before the dance floor crowded up. Handing the waiter his used plate, Ciel headed across the room to the dessert table to claim his prize, only to have his way blocked by a flock of students, filling the dance floor like an oncoming flood. What a pain. He waded through the tightly packed crowd, stepping on toes and accidentally pulling at costumes. The poor boy had to apologise for every step he took.

It was about the hundredth time he'd bumped into someone now, and the hundredth time he'd had to say 'sorry' for ruining another costume, but this person didn't retort, didn't utter a single word. She simply stood there, in the midst of the dancing pupils. As Ciel looked up to apologise again, words abandoned him when he saw her face; white hair, lavender eyes. A gown of white feathers. A girl who was the splitting image of Ash.

Wait…hadn't he seen her somewhere before?

The sound of the orchestra faded away, the dancing students seemed to disappear. The girl's commanding presence captivated him, in a chilling, terrifying way. She pursed her delicate lips, and a single word fell from them.

"Filthy."

"Excuse me?" Ciel didn't know whether he was supposed to take offense or continue apologising.

She maintained her stance, looking down her nose at the earl, yet she didn't say anything more. Awkwardly, Ciel hurried away, not wanting to linger there too long. Besides, there was a dessert waiting for him.

And that was when he bumped into the hundred-and-first person that night. The man didn't look like a student though – he was slightly older than that. Nevertheless, his smile was kind and his eyes had a youthful sparkle in them; all this along with long, golden hair and a graceful demeanour. He looked like a prince from a fairy tale.

"My lady," he said. "I have been watching you ever since you entered the ballroom."

"Oh, is that so?" squeaked Ciel, blushing more out of embarrassment than anything else. He hadn't been acting very lady-like tonight.

The young man took Ciel's gloved hand, bowing low as he gave it a light peck. The earl resisted the urge to withdraw his hand and give the guy a sound slap.

"I am Alastair Chambers, the Viscount of Druitt. It is a pleasure to meet you on this night of nights, my lady."

The man's voice gave Ciel goosebumps. He wanted to run away right then and there, but now the Viscount was probably expecting an introduction. Not to mention all the gossip he'd stir up if anyone saw him running away from a nobleman. The boy was all too tempted to simply introduce himself under a false name.

…then again, 'Skye Barnett' was a false name anyway.

"My name is Skye Barnett. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Chambers."

"Ah…Skye," sighed the viscount, "What a fitting name for a girl like yourself, a girl who embodies the grace and beauty of a robin~!" He pulled Ciel closer to himself, putting his hand around the boy's waist and taking the gloved right hand, poised to waltz.

"Will you dance with me, my robin?"

Ciel felt the goosebumps coming back…no, this time it felt more like hives. His hands were trembling and his brow sweating. He tried to protest but only managed to spill out gibberish. "I…I-I-I'm…"

"I'm afraid that Miss Barnett has already agreed to have her first dance with _me_ tonight." It was that smooth, confident voice again. Sebastian.

The Viscount of Druitt raised an unimpressed eyebrow, but did little else. "Ah, is that so?"

"My humble apologies, viscount." Sebastian bowed his head, making his rabbit ears tip forward slightly.

Chambers loosed his hold on Ciel and flicked his blonde hair back. "I am not one to get in the way of a lady's wishes." He replied, and turning to Ciel, he said, "We shall meet again, my little robin. Do enjoy the night."

He gave Ciel's hand another kiss and went on his way, leaving the two neighbours there standing rigidly side by side in the middle of the moving crowd. Once Lord Chambers had disappeared, Ciel took the opportunity to wipe his hand on his gown, to make sure he got rid of any traces of the viscount that still remained. Then, reluctantly, he said to the ebony-haired one, "Thanks, I guess."

"No need to thank me, Miss Barnett."

"I'm just trying to be polite." Ciel hissed. "And what are you still doing here? I don't want to be seen with you!"

Sebastian bowed. "As I said to the viscount, I am here to have the first dance with you."

"I don't dance," retorted Ciel coldly.

The taller one smiled. "And that is why I am here. I thought it wise to give you a brief tutorial on ballroom dance, to save you from embarrassing yourself later on."

The earl wanted to run away again, but Sebastian grabbed him and held him in a fashion similar to the viscount just moments ago. Before he knew it, Ciel found himself whisked away towards the middle of the dance floor. He was led into a confusing sequence of steps, side to side, forwards, backwards, and all over again. It was dizzying, and after several minutes of stumbling around and stepping on his dance partner's polished black shoes, Ciel was starting to feel short of breath. Did people actually _enjoy_ this sort of thing?

"My, it appears that the little mistress is lacking in stamina."

"Shut up." the boy said, scowling. He felt as though he was being dragged around by the older boy, rather than dancing of his own accord. His feet didn't want to move.

"Miss Barnett," began Sebastian tersely, "Although the gentleman leads the dance, the lady must also do her part. You are not a rag doll, so I kindly ask that you cease to act like one."

Ciel looked up at him from beneath the roses that lined his hat. He channeled all his anger into his stare, mentally punching the taller one in the face several times over. In return, Sebastian just smiled haughtily and carried on dancing.

.

.

At a fair distance, he watched them with an unsettled heart, spindly fingers drumming on the sheath of his sword prop. Despite the vast height difference, Sebastian and Ciel looked good dancing together. They even seemed to by enjoying themselves. Of course, Ciel was probably relieved having been saved from that scumbag from earlier. Joker had seen the way he had gone around the hall, kissing the hand of every girl who looked remotely attractive. He had wanted to rescue the earl himself, but Sebastian had beaten him to it, as usual.

It was always like this – every time Joker saw a chance to prove himself to Ciel, Sebastian would get there first. Those two always appeared to enjoy each other's presence, even when Ciel tried his best to act annoyed.

That wouldn't do. Joker had to show Ciel that _he_ was there for him too, that it wasn't just Sebastian who cared, if Sebastian really cared at all. The guy had a habit of overdoing everything. He was infamous for misleading his clients into thinking he actually liked them, to the extent that several girls had lashed out at other clients when Sebastian got too close to them. Joker pursed his lips remembering how tense the atmosphere in the club was, once Ash had to pay for damages to the club room.

Dangerous creatures, females were.

.

A bright, clear giggle came from behind him, stealing his train of thought – it was a student he'd never seen on campus before, with fine, straw-coloured hair and turquoise blue eyes.

"She's pretty hot." he said. His voice was cheerful, but Joker sensed the faintest hint of disdain in it.

The ginger-haired one blushed at the statement though. "Sh-she's all right, I guess."

The boy slapped him on the back playfully and laughed. "You're a bad liar! I saw the way you were watching her. She's that Skye girl everyone was talking about just now, right?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Anyway, my name is Alois. Alois Trancy." The boy extended his hand. "What's yours?"

"What does it matter to you?" said Joker cautiously. Really now, why was this kid talking so casually to him like this? And on their first meeting, no less! He was hardly inclined to simply give an answer.

The boy ignored the hostile gesture though, and held his hand out again. "Come on! Don't leave me hangin'!"

Sighing quietly, Joker took the offered hand. "Call me Joker."

"Joker," Alois said contemplatively. "I wanna help you, Joker."

"Help me?"

"Yeah. Seeing you pine over a girl like that – it makes me feel sorry for you. I mean, what kind of guy sits back and watches the girl he likes dance with some other fuckwit?"

Joker twitched at the kid's vulgarity.

"Trust me, I've got a shitload of ideas. You'll be in her pants in no time."

The host blushed profusely. "Th-that's not what I'm after!"

Alois waggled a blonde eyebrow. "Sure it's not," he said sarcastically, "But it doesn't matter. Once I'm done she's still gonna be hot for you anyway."

Joker's blush didn't settle. "How are you gonna do that?"

The boy shrugged. "I'll just make things happen. You'll see."

.

.

The room was spinning by the third or fourth song. Sebastian was practically dragging Ciel's dead weight across the floor, since the boy could barely stand on his own. His feet felt as if they'd swollen to five times their original size. Once the orchestra finally paused for a brief intermission, Ciel saw his chance. He looked across the room at the dessert table; he had to make sure the last dessert was still there.

Sure enough, there it was, though only two pieces remained. He wasn't sure he'd be able to walk the distance with his aching feet, but he had to try. Fighting the overwhelming urge to collapse in a heap on the floor, Ciel wrought himself free from Sebastian's hands and was just about to make a bee-line for the desserts, when a bone-chillingly familiar voice cut through the chatter.

"Ohmigod! Your dress is _so_ cute!"

Ciel froze. There was no way this could be happening! He ducked behind his upperclassman, letting out an involuntary squeak. Sebastian gave him a befuddled look.

"What is _she_ doing here!" Ciel hissed.

Sebastian looked around in the general direction of Ciel's horrified gaze, until he took notice of the bubbly blonde girl in question, standing on the balcony overhead.

"Ah yes," he replied, "That girl is Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford. She is the daughter of Marquis Midford. A bit of a fashionista and a social butterfly, unlike the rest of her family…"

"I _know_ who she is!" Ciel snapped impatiently, "But what the heck is she doing here?"

"I believe that the Marchioness Midford is present as a guest of honour. Lady Elizabeth probably accompanied her, seeing as she is rather partial to social gatherings."

Ciel furrowed his brow. Of course he knew Elizabeth Midford – or, Lizzy, as she always insisted – she was his cousin, the Marchioness being his father's younger sister. Still, there weren't many people today who were concerned with the nobility, and so there were probably few who knew about his relation to the Midford household. An even lesser known fact was that the two were betrothed to be married – a rather old-fashioned convention it was, to marry one's relative, but as gruff and tomboyish as his aunt Frances was, she was ever the type to adhere to tradition.

Anyhow, there was no way Lizzy could see him like this. She would probably recognise him straight away and blow his cover. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Sebastian," Ciel said, "Dance with me."

After merely raising his eyebrow, Sebastian gave a bow and did as he was told. He scooped the young earl up into his arms and led him into yet another tiresome dance. No matter though, it was necessary. Ever so discreetly, Ciel began to push Sebastian in the direction of the dessert table, away from Lizzy.

He probably should have paid attention to Sebastian's dance lessons earlier, because just as he emerged from the crowd, his needlessly long petticoat decided to snag itself on the heel of his glass slipper. Soon enough, the earl found himself tumbling backward into several other students, who in turn tumbled into their own dance partners. A round of complaints ensued, mostly consisting of girls ranting about how their costumes were ruined…again. To be fair, at least they managed to fall on somebody else. He ended up on the ground.

And that was when he heard it – the one thing he dreaded hearing.

"That pink dress is _gorgeous_!"

Ciel's heart pounded as he prayed that he wasn't the only one at the ball wearing a pink dress, but when he looked up at the balcony again, he locked eyes with Elizabeth.

"Crap!" rasped the grey-haired boy. "Help me up, Sebastian!"

The addressed did so, but reprimanded him for his ungracious language. Ciel brushed it off under the circumstances, and surveyed the room to see where Lizzy had gotten to. She was no longer on the balcony, but on her way down the winding staircase that led to the dance floor. He had to get away!

Without a second thought, he gathered up his skirts and ran for the door, leaving Sebastian behind. Making haste was rather difficult though, with all these students in the way. Just metres from the door, his face collided with a solid, toned chest. He looked up and saw Joker smiling down at him.

"You look good in that dress," he chuckled, putting a hand on Ciel's delicate bare shoulder.

Puffing, Ciel hurriedly thanked him, an automatic response really, and decided that he could run much faster without his heels from hell. Bending down abruptly, he removed his glass slippers and held one in each hand. He bid the ginger one a good evening and fled the ballroom, grey pigtails floating along after him.

Mouth slightly agape, Joker stared at the hand that had just touched Ciel's shoulder. He purposelessly walked toward the door where Ciel had exited, simply gazing down the hallway as the boy's silhouette grew more and more distant. At that point, he saw it – a faint glint just a few paces away. It was one of the glass slippers the earl had taken off. He must have tripped and dropped it in his panic.

Joker went and picked up the lone slipper. Would it be a bit creepy if he returned it?

"That boy is too careless," sighed Sebastian, approaching Joker and sparing the shoe a quick glance. "I should probably give it back to him."

"No, I don't mind returning it," offered Joker.

Sebastian smiled. "You'd be inconvenienced. Besides, I live next door to him, so it will not be a problem for me."

Feeling defeated, Joker weakly handed over the glass slipper. "You're right…"

.

.

The tall, bespectacled one dutifully held the plate of desserts for Alois as he ate, watching the blonde boy place a spoonful of cake in his mouth, then chewing it slowly.

"Say something, Claude," commanded Alois, "You've been real quiet tonight."

Claude adjusted his glasses with his free hand. "Sir," he said, "Do you really intend to help that Joker character?"

Alois leaned back in his chair and watched the students on the dance floor. "Of course! I intend to do my best for that guy."

His tall companion's eye twitched.

"But you know how it is," said the blonde, pulling Claude in close to whisper in his ear, "At the end of the day, that Skye girl is gonna end up in _my_ arms anyway."

.

.

.

Once in the comfort of his suite, Ciel jumped into bed, dress and wig and all. This was exactly why he hated social events – he always felt so exhausted afterward, for whatever reason. Granted, this was probably the first time he was exhausted due to running around in a dress to escape from his fiancée. Nevertheless it was worth it, enduring all this pain, for all the sweets and desserts he got to eat.

No matter what though, he couldn't shake the thought of that one dessert he missed out on. His heart sunk a little, and he fell asleep feeling just a tiny bit empty inside.

.

He finally awoke when sunlight hit his eyelids, somewhere between the hours of eight and nine in the morning. His mascara-laden eyelashes had caked together, much to his annoyance. He rubbed his eye and sat up groggily, when he noticed that he was free of his ball gown. It was draped neatly over the foot of his bed, with the hat sitting on top. His wig had somehow found its own way back to the wig stand too, and the one glass slipper he managed to hold on to now accompanied his other shoes near the wardrobe. Strange – he must have been extremely tired, to have changed into his nightwear without realising it.

Then Ciel's eyes trailed over to the chair that had been moved from his table to his bedside. He certainly did not recall moving it. On it, his other glass slipper had been placed, along with a plastic takeaway container and a note. The grey-haired boy reached over and grabbed the little sheet of paper and brought it close to read.

.

_To my Little Master,_

_Did you sleep well? You looked utterly exhausted – it must be quite taxing to run from the ball to escape from one's own fiancée, and all whilst wearing a tonne of lace, no less. You even carelessly dropped your glass slipper on your way out. Fortunately Joker managed to recover it before some horrible fate befell it._

_I hope I did not disturb your slumber when I took the liberty of changing you into your nightclothes. That dress seemed awfully uncomfortable, though you did look like a charming young lady in it._

_For all your efforts, I have saved you a little present. Do enjoy it, and remember to brush your teeth afterwards._

_Sincerely,_

_Sebastian M._

.

Ciel reached out again and took the plastic box and opened it. Inside was a slice of the last cake, the one he didn't have a chance to eat last night. It was still wonderfully fresh after all those hours. He smiled the faintest, briefest smile until it dawned upon him…

He looked at the note again, and any sentimentality went out the window. Sebastian _knew_ that Lizzy was Ciel's fiancée yet he didn't lift a finger to help out!

And that wasn't all – he _undressed_ him! Of all the –

But wait…last night Ciel had made sure to lock all his doors and windows in case Lizzy followed him…so Sebastian had _broken_ into his suite to do all this!

Ciel crumpled the note and threw it across the room and threw his blanket over his head, seething. That bastard had crossed the line on _so_ many levels. The earl swore he would make his meddling neighbour pay for his wrongdoings. He wouldn't be wearing that smug grin on his face once Ciel was done with him.

.

…but first, it was time to eat that cake.

.

.

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* * *

**A/N:** So there we have part 2 of the ball! Ciel certainly encountered many undesirables today (even Angela!)…and Sebastian was quite the asshole, wasn't he? To be honest, that's just the way I like him. xD

Just so it's clear, the 'four pairs of eyes' I referred to in the last Lesson all made their appearances in this Lesson – Joker, Lizzy, the Viscount of Druitt, and Alois.

In the next Lesson, since it'll be the weekend for the Stoneleigh Park kids, we'll take a break from Ciel's troubled mind to go play in the sunshine! I hope you don't get hayfever though, 'cos then you'd be sneezing to death!

PS Don't take me seriously on that dessert - I just made it up according to what I thought would taste good in combination~

.

Please review and let me know what your thoughts and theories are! It's always interesting to get your opinions!

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	18. Lesson Sixteen

Lesson Sixteen: The Importance of a Scab

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No matter what was on his list of things to do, his morning routine was of utmost importance. He started by brushing his teeth – he found it was the best way to wake himself up, since he'd never been a morning person. After that, he stepped into the shower, relishing the feel of water hitting his bare skin, warm and refreshing. Every morning he shampooed and conditioned his hair. If he didn't, his hair would be straggly and dry and generally unpleasant, though few knew this.

His spine tingled when he emerged from the shower and cold air hit his damp skin. Yes, he was fully awake now, and he had a few minutes left to finish his morning routine before breakfast. Wrapping himself in a towel and wiping away mist on the bathroom mirror, he stared at his reflection for a while. He smiled at it; it smiled back. Today was going to be a good day.

He picked up an ornate jar of face moisturiser and twisted the lid off, dipping a finger in and dabbing the cream onto his face. Before he could continue, however, he realised that he'd skipped a significant part of his daily routine.

He clambered to his bedside, almost dropping his towel, and grabbed his phone. Flipping it open, he dialed the number he now knew by heart. He squirmed impatiently as it rang, and finally there was an answer.

"It's too early in the morning for this," grumbled the voice on the other side.

He whined. "But Sebastiaaaaan~! I missed you so much last night! You're so cruel."

"No," replied Sebastian, "You're just delusional. Now, if you will excuse me, I shall be hanging up."

"But–!"

The line went dead.

Sighing, he dropped his phone on the bed. Ah well, tomorrow he would try again, like he always did. He returned to the bathroom to finish applying his moisturiser, then he brushed his long, crimson hair and carefully applied his false lashes. It was a painstaking task, but one he was used to now. He got dressed promptly in a black singlet with a low neckline, a blood red jacket, and tight acid wash jeans. Reaching for his red glasses, he inspected himself in the full body mirror near his wardrobe and grinned, flashing razor-sharp teeth.

.

Weekends were a time Grell always enjoyed, but this weekend would be particularly exciting. Bright green eyes glanced across the room at the bag he'd packed last night. Today, he would be visiting home for the first time in months, to surprise his mother for her birthday.

His eyes then settled fondly on the photograph of him and his Mama on the bedside table. She had the same flaming head of hair, the same brilliant emerald eyes. She was his inspiration for the most part of his tumultuous childhood. It was his mother who showed him the importance of being himself, and of perseverance. It was she who paved the way for both of them, into dreams and at the same time into much suffering. None of it mattered anymore though – she was happy now, and that was that, Grell thought.

After looking over his reflection once more (just to be sure he looked nothing short of amazing), Grell headed downstairs to the dining room. He strutted through the corridor in a way that made the other residents in the males-only hall blush and turn away. Life was one big catwalk, and Grell always strived to make himself seen and heard.

Sure to make a grand entrance, he flung the double doors of the dining room open, though his fellow residents were more than accustomed to his flamboyant mannerisms, and no one was kind enough to spare him even a glance. No matter. He scanned the room and found the table where Soma, Agni and Joker were sitting. Grell was too excited to be hungry today, so he simply ordered an all-important flat white and watched as the rest of them – especially Soma – gobbled down their breakfasts.

"Got any plans this weekend, Grell?" Soma asked through a mouthful of his curried eggs on toast.

The redhead inspected his nails as he replied, "I'm visiting my Mama; the limo's coming in half an hour."

They all perked up at the mention of his mother.

"Master Grell's mother is none other than Catherine-Anne Sutcliff, I take it?" said Agni.

"What's it like having an actress for a mum?" Joker chimed in, leaning forward in interest.

Grell laughed haughtily. "At first it's strange seeing her face on posters everywhere, but you get used to it, I suppose~"

Soma's face lit up. "Could you get an autograph for me? Pretty please!"

Again, the redhead chuckled. "I'll see what I can do. She's pretty busy these days."

Their conversation for the rest of breakfast centred around Grell and his mother. He loved it, the attention they were paying him, the attention they were paying _her_. Mama deserved the love she received from everyone; she'd worked hard for it.

.

After breakfast, Grell bid farewell to his fellow hosts and left them to their own weekend plans (Joker was meeting 'a friend', and Soma and Agni intended to do some sight-seeing) and returned to his suite to fetch his bags. He made his way back downstairs, towards the school's main gate and passed Ciel and Sebastian as they exited the mixed-gender hall; the former was simply fuming, while the latter just continued to smile that trademark smile. Grell pranced to Sebastian's side, hooking an arm around the taller one's. As usual, the black-haired one made no attempt to shake Grell off…that would be too ungraceful a thing to do in public.

"Sebastiaaaaan~ you devil! My bed was so cold and lonely without you last night!"

Though Sebastian didn't move, he wore a look of utter disgust. "Please don't say such misleading things in front of others, Grell."

The redhead stuck out his bottom lip and playfully punched Sebastian's arm with his free hand, but stopped his advances. He waved the pair goodbye, deciding not to bother with them today. Though he felt the tiniest pang of jealousy seeing them together, bickering like an old married couple, he couldn't afford to waste time now that the limousine was on its way.

He'd walked out of the gates in time to see the limousine pull up outside. The chauffeur stepped out and gave him a slight bow. He was dressed in a tailcoat and white gloves, something reminiscent of a butler. It was Grell who decided to dress him that way, though personally he thought that this sort of a costume would suit Sebastian a lot more.

.

.

After having received another wake-up phone call from Grell, Sebastian had hoped to return to bed, since there was little on his agenda this weekend. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be – as soon as his head touched his pillow, there was an irritatingly loud banging on his door.

He straightened himself out enough to look presentable, then went to answer the door. Lo and behold, Ciel stood before him, so furious he could have had steam coming out his ears and nostrils. The boy said nothing but Sebastian knew why he was here, and that brought a smirk to his lips. Smoothly, as if he hadn't just woken up, he told the young earl that he would join him promptly, and shut the door again before Ciel could retort.

Once he'd showered and dressed, he opened the door to find that Ciel hadn't budged an inch. The boy contained his temper until they had made it to the entrance of the hall of residence. They stood just outside the entrance for a second, and Ciel's foot flew up to connect with Sebastian's shin. Though he seemed unfazed by the action, Ciel, on the other hand, silently cursed at his weak and now throbbing toes.

"Pervert!" he yelled accusingly at his neighbour. Sebastian looked highly amused, but pretended not to know what he was talking about.

"Have I done something?" the older one enquired, raising an eyebrow while that smirk lingered on his face.

Ciel was tempted to kick him again, but didn't, and proceeded to rant about decency and respect for others' personal space. He didn't appreciate being undressed, especially by _him_ (even if he was re-dressed anyway), and he certainly did not appreciate Sebastian breaking into his suite (even if it _was_ to return his belongings). On top of that, Sebastian knew that he was engaged to Elizabeth Midford, and was all too aware of the implications of Ciel being discovered by her, yet he turned a blind eye to the situation altogether. What kind of man was he?

The black-haired one chuckled. "I've always considered myself less of a man, and more of a devil."

His companion grumbled.

Just then, they heard a sound that made Sebastian quake in fear. A high-pitched croon they could recognise from miles away. Grell.

The redhead was unbelievably clingy when it came to Sebastian. It was almost sickening, thought Ciel. Firstly, how could someone act so overbearing? And secondly, of all the people in the world, why was he so attached to _Sebastian_?

Once the psychotic host (Ciel easily imagined him to secretly be a psycho who murdered people using a chainsaw) had gone away, mentioning something about seeing his mother, his anger fizzled and was replaced with curiosity. He turned to his neighbour and said, "Remind me why you let him be part of the club again."

Another chuckle from Sebastian. "It does seem unlikely, doesn't it?"

"He's annoying," complained the shorter of the two, "Why can't you just kick him out?"

Sighing, Sebastian narrowed his wine-coloured eyes. "I'm afraid that Grell is a bit like a scab. You fail to recall just why he's there, but if you remove him, he will simply resurface again, redder and, dare I say…uglier…than ever."

.

.

.

Grell practically bounced in his seat for the duration of the ride home, clutching a bouquet of red tiger lilies and a box of cupcakes. Mama would be _so_ thrilled – cupcakes had always been their thing.

As the limousine slowed to turn in to the driveway, Grell went over how he'd make his entrance. Mama would be so wonderfully surprised. They would hug and blow kisses and then they'd share the latest gossip over tea and the cupcakes he'd brought. He leapt out of the car and up the steps and burst through the front door.

"Mama! Your baby's back!"

His proclamation echoed down the hallway, but was met with silence. The chauffeur coughed uneasily behind him and took his leave.

Confused, Grell called out again as he trotted down the hall, peering into each room in case his mother was there. In the kitchen, he found the housekeeper cleaning the granite bench-tops, sweeping the cold marble floor. She gave him a polite bow when she noticed him standing there.

"Where's Mama?" he asked, shoulders dropping as if he already knew the answer.

The housekeeper's voice was low and sympathetic. "Ms. Sutcliff has gone to Venice to celebrate her birthday with her manager."

"Oh," he responded sadly. "Thanks. I'll be in the garden then."

.

He was used to it now. Mama was a celebrity. She was always busy, usually too busy to spend time with him. Normally he would have to settle for leaving messages on her mobile phone, or with her assistant. Sighing, he trudged to the garden, kicking up the leaves that had started to fall from the trees overhead – the first victims of autumn.

"Please refrain from making a mess. We've been raking all day."

The firm reprimand made Grell look up from the ground. Soon the disappointment left his face and a smile replaced it.

"Will!"

The addressed was a young man, of Grell's age, though taller, with dark hair and stern green eyes behind rectangular glasses. He held in his hands retractable gardening clippers that were as long as he was tall. All of it made for a rather intimidating look, though Grell was by no means intimidated. He made a flying leap into the arms of the other, who stepped to one side, allowing Grell to fall right into a pile of leaves.

As Grell sat up, the others welcomed him with a round of laughter. His cheeks went pink.

He had missed these guys, too. He hadn't seen them in so long, but here they all were – Alan, the nice guy who looked after everyone (the only thing was, he was so frail you'd think he had a terminal illness); Eric, who, despite being the toughest of them, would bend over backwards for them (and especially for Alan); Ronald, the peppy kid who always brought life to the party (though he could be pretty nasty sometimes); and finally, William. He had known William since they were young – they'd been in the same classes since kindergarten…up until last year, when Grell transferred to Stoneleigh Park Academy.

Alan put down his rake and extended a hand to Grell to help him up. The latter obliged, and also accepted Alan's help picking out dead leaves from his long hair.

"So what are you doing here?" asked Eric, setting down the saw he'd been using, "And who are those cakes for?"

Surprised, Grell looked down at the box of cupcakes in his hand. A forlorn sigh was forced from his lips, breath condensing on the crisp autumn air.

.

.

.

"Grell had a difficult upbringing, coming from a single-parent family. His mother was determined to become an actress and was somewhat…unwise…in the way she allocated their resources."

Ciel's hand halted in the middle of reaching for his teacup. "His mother is Catherine-Anne Sutcliff, isn't she?"

"Correct."

The earl nodded at the revelation. "No wonder Grell turned out the way he did."

Sebastian chuckled. "Indeed, Grell has ever been something of a diva. I don't doubt that it was his mother's doing. However, although she seems to be his biggest role model, he has never spent much time with her, neither before nor after she became an actress."

.

.

.

"Honestly," sighed Will in exasperation, adjusting his glasses with a gloved hand. "Must you _always_ interrupt our work?"

Grell had interrupted their work, true, but the others didn't seem to mind. Even after this long, Grell was still his disruptive, unproductive self, and the rest of them were still as accepting as always – his _real_ family.

"I don't mind being interrupted," said Ronald, mouth full of cupcake, "Especially if we get to eat."

The five of them sat under the pergola in the centre of the garden, eating the cupcakes Grell had bought for Mama. Though he wasn't upset that they'd gobbled them up in mere minutes, the fact that Mama wasn't there to share the treats with them made the cupcakes taste just a little bitter.

Always the kind-hearted one, Alan put a hand on Grell's shoulder. "Don't be disappointed. I'm sure your mother misses you a lot."

Reaching over Alan, Eric playfully gave Grell's arm a punch. "Smile a little, won'tcha? You're turning into a sad little kid again." And when the redhead simply sighed again, Eric and Ronald mustered the group together to take a photograph, in an attempt to distract him perhaps. Ronald looked at the preview of the photograph and fell over laughing. Even straight-faced William couldn't hold back a smile when he stole a glance at the camera's display. Grell and the rest had a look, and finally all of them were laughing. How typical – the flash had reflected off all their glasses, so that none of their eyes were visible in the photograph.

It was these damned glasses that brought them together in the first place. All of them had been bullied for it in the past. However, instead of being ashamed of their glasses, they banded together and swore to each other never to give up on their glasses – not even for contact lenses. Since that time, they had been inseparable, closer than family. That was until Mama made it big in the movie industry and sent Grell to the academy. Still, Mama wasn't cold-hearted about it. She had hired the lot of them to tend to her garden, and whenever Grell came to visit, he would attempt to help. That being said, gardening had never been his forte.

.

.

.

"That's nothing surprising," replied Ciel. "Considering she was a solo parent, she would have had less time to spend with him."

"Regardless," continued the red-eyed one, "Grell was affected by this. He was bullied a lot when he was younger because he was…"

"Different?" offered Ciel.

"Different." smiled Sebastian, "That, combined with the constant absence of his mother, led him to withdraw from everyone. When he first arrived at the academy, he was cold and seldom spoke to anybody."

Ciel had a hard time imagining that.

.

.

.

"You've changed."

The comment snapped Grell out of his daydream. He didn't know how long he'd been staring out into space, probably grinning like an idiot since the others had cheered him up. They had already packed up their tools and headed home for the day, since the sun was setting and the wind grew just a tad chillier. Now just he and William were left sitting under the pergola, with only cupcake crumbs and the now-wilted tiger lilies bearing testament to the earlier happenings.

"Changed?" repeated Grell, his smile widening like the Cheshire cat's.

William cleared his throat. "Yes. You've reverted back. I don't think I like it."

"I don't understand."

"On our first meeting, you clung to me like a lovesick little girl and blew kisses at me every time we made eye contact. Over the years I thought you'd grown out of such embarrassing habits…but since you started going to Stoneleigh Park, it seems that your maturity has disappeared again."

Grell was taken aback at his friend's sudden, harsh words. "But Will, I…"

"You're not yourself. Do you not realise that the flamboyant, over-the-top Grell was simply a mask you wore to protect yourself?"

William's words felt like a punch in the stomach to the redhead. If he had ever worn a mask, it would have been the aloof face he put on, the quiet, subdued, and detached Grell who hated everyone and everything…Right? And of all people, shouldn't William have understood this more than anyone else?

"He was the one who encouraged this, wasn't he?" said Will. "That Sebastian guy you always tell me about. He's the reason you've stopped being true to yourself."

"Will, I _am_ being true to myself. You've known me longer than anyone, why can't you see it?"

The other furrowed his brow. The setting sun reflected off his lenses as he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "You only act like this in order to be noticed. Do you honestly believe that a guy can be this way _naturally_?"

Grell was lost for words. His fists balled up beneath the table, ready to rip Will apart.

.

.

.

"Usually people act flamboyant to hide the fact that they are scared and vulnerable," began Ciel, "So is it not just as plausible that Grell really is the cold, silent type, and he acts the way he does in order to protect that part of him?"

Sebastian folded his arms on the table. "Indeed, a scab exists to protect whatever is underneath, but who is in any position to say which side of him exists to protect the other?"

The younger of the two sighed. "So basically, you're saying…"

"It is no business of ours to decide who the real Grell is." Sebastian concluded. "But as his friends and fellow hosts, it is our duty to accept whichever persona he decides to show us."

.

.

.

He stood up from his seat and turned to walk back to the house, sparing William not a word.

"Where are you going?" asked the dark-haired one.

Grell didn't turn around to look back at him. "I'm gonna get my bags."

"You're not staying overnight?"

"Nah, it's boring here." he said it quietly, so that Will couldn't tell that he was crying.

.

Today didn't turn out to be quite as good as he'd hoped.

.

.

.

The two neighbours arrived back at the hall of residence to find hanging from their door handles small, rolled-up pieces of paper and tied with lace. More annoyed than curious, Ciel untied the lace and read the flowery writing on the paper, Sebastian doing likewise with the one on his own door.

It was an invitation (a _private_ one, the writer emphasised) to a dinner party next weekend. Only a handful of students were selected for the event and they all were expected to attend. As part of the entertainment for the evening, they would play a murder mystery game, assuming the role of a character and gathering clues to solve the mystery. Attached to the invitation were a character description and a summary of the attire they were to wear to the event.

"This is all very superfluous," sighed Sebastian, "Who could the party's host be, I wonder?"

His question was answered when he looked over and saw Ciel frozen in place, the piece of paper rustling in his trembling hands. "It…it's…the Viscount."

.

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* * *

**A/N**: Shinigami haken kyoukai DEATH! xD I love the Shinigami Dispatch Society so much; I couldn't _not_ have them appear at least once in this fic. And I promise you that this wasn't simply a filler chapter – even though it may seem like one!

Also, who else likes Lizzy SO MUCH MORE after reading the latest chapters of the manga? I had always expected her to be a bit of a closet-badass, but I certainly didn't expect _this_ – I don't think I've ever had so much respect for a female character before.

Anyway, I missed you guys…how have you all been? Thanks for all the reviews, faves and alerts so far, and as always, I enjoy reading all the reviews I get, and I'll try my best to answer your questions!

.

In reply to **A. Nelson**'s review, your first question eventually gets answered in the course of the story. As for the second question – my bad for not making it clear. I mentioned in an early chapter that Soma and Ciel are in the same class (Lesson One, I'm sure), and that Ciel entered the academy at Year 11 (see footnotes in Lesson Four), which would make him and Soma fifteen years old, going on sixteen. I've frequently addressed the other hosts as Ciel's and Soma's upperclassmen, which would imply that they are over fifteen/sixteen years of age. I like to think that Joker and Grell are one year older, while Sebastian, Agni and Ash are two years older. Hope this clarifies it for you!


	19. Lesson Seventeen

Lesson Seventeen: The Anatomy of a Murder Mystery

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'Make things happen'…

He said he could simply 'make things happen'. There was no telling just what he meant by those words – Joker was almost too afraid to find out. But Alois had reassured him when they met up that weekend that things were under control and all he had to do was live life as usual and wait for an opportunity. When he smiled, his eyes seemed to twinkle like light dancing on water. Something about that smile sent shivers down Joker's spine.

.

Ciel arrived in-costume and in-character, accompanied by Sebastian, at the holiday home of the Viscount of Druitt. He adjusted his evening gown and dug around in the pocket of his coat for the character description that accompanied the invitation.

.

_Miss Barnett,_

_You are to play the daughter of a noble family. Your aunt, a doctor and notorious socialite, has invited you and your tutor to a dinner party._

_Your character is still feeling somewhat bitter at your aunt, as she has threatened to leave you off her will due to scandalous rumours that you have been having an affair with a young earl, the son of one of her patients. These rumours, of course, are only partially true._

_The setting is late Victorian England; please dress accordingly._

_I look forward to meeting you again, my dear robin._

_A. Chambers  
The Viscount of Druitt_

.

It was a rather convenient coincidence that Sebastian had received instruction to assume the role of the niece's tutor. For a moment, Ciel worried that the viscount may somehow try to get back at Sebastian for stealing his dance at the ball. Only a moment, though – he soon decided that it would be a rather amusing sight to see.

He felt a hand slink up his back, "Shall we, milady?"

The earl jolted away from the touch, huffing indignantly. "Don't touch me!"

Sebastian chuckled. "I am simply playing the part of the kindhearted, fatherly tutor for the little mistress."

"Like hell you are," Ciel spat.

Once the double doors had been opened for them, they stepped over the threshold into the foyer of Aleister Chamber's home. It was a room with a marble floor and oak paneling and a chandelier – these were all standard issue for a noble's abode, so as if to give the place his own personal touch, the viscount had opted to dress the walls with paintings of naked and almost-naked people in lewd poses. It was so disgustingly tacky, Ciel tasted vomit in the back of his throat.

They were met in the foyer by the staff member who would be supervising the event. His name was Mr. Doyle; he was a shy and rather awkward English Literature teacher whom the students loved to hassle. Despite being an easy target for nasty students, the man had talent. Aside from teaching, he was also a freelance writer, and his stories were often published in journals and papers. Though few knew about this hobby of his, Ciel had read every one of Mr. Doyle's stories at least thrice and could name all of his works and the date of their publication. Essentially, this teacher was quite the wordsmith, and the young earl was something of a fan.

Mr. Doyle welcomed them and checked their student identification cards and invites against the guest list he was holding. Once that was done, the two neighbours were led up the stairs, down a series of hallways and around a corner into a room. Though small, it was no less flamboyant than the foyer and probably the rest of the house. The walls were covered in red and gold paisley, to match floor-to-ceiling red drapes and a gold chandelier from which red crystals hung. In the middle of the room was a long polished wood table of hors d'oeuvres. The guests present had gathered around this table, and Ciel recognised all three of them; Joker, Freckles and that tall bespectacled guy he'd been seeing around the school, Claude. An interesting selection, thought Ciel, though he did not object to being here with people he knew.

"Skye!" said Joker as he approached them. "I didn't realise you'd been invited too!"

Their fellow host was dressed in a white coat. He explained that tonight he was a doctor, a colleague of the lady who was holding the dinner party. Ciel introduced himself as the lady's niece, and told Joker that Sebastian was his tutor. Joker seemed to wince a little when Sebastian rested a gloved hand on Ciel's slender shoulder.

The doors flew open, and in pranced the viscount with the final guest alongside him; golden hair and turquoise eyes – it was none other than Alois. Just great.

"Good evening _messieurs et mesdames_!" cried Lord Chamber, "I am thrilled to have you all here tonight, taking part in this little murder mystery party of mine!"

Everything about this man made Ciel want to retch; from his voice to his mannerisms to the lavish red coat he wore, embellished with jewels and gold trim to match the room décor. And as if taking a leaf out of the viscount's book, Alois wore a purple frock coat, unbuttoned to reveal a waistcoat and shirt, and tight shorts that barely reached mid-thigh. Ciel was unsure if this less-than-conservative costume really qualified as a 'late Victorian England' outfit.

"As the Master of Ceremonies, I shall begin by introducing our characters tonight," said the viscount. He extracted a notebook from his pocket and began to read from it.

.

_Mademoiselle de Lambert is a high-profile doctor with an equally high-profile clientele – her patients include celebrities, politicians and members of the royal family. Tonight, she has invited a handful of guests to dine with her. Of course, there is no end to the rumours surrounding these guests and why they've been invited;_

…_Her niece Skye, who still appears to be upset at her aunt for being left off her will;_

…_Skye's private tutor, Sebastian; rumour has it that Mlle. de Lambert has been paying special visits to him while he is not tending to the young mistress;_

…_Alois Trancy, the son of a patient of Mlle. de Lambert. People have often reported seeing Skye and Alois together, a relationship de Lambert has frowned upon;_

…_Claude, who is Alois' butler. Despite de Lambert disapproving the relationship between Trancy and her niece, her relationship with Claude is also a subject of gossip;_

…_Doctor Kelvin, a friend and colleague of Mlle. de Lambert. Even though Scotland Yard is currently investigating his suspected involvement in the human trafficking business, he has come tonight to enjoy the festivities;_

…_And finally, de Lambert's personal assistant, Dolly. The latest gossip is that Dolly had wanted to resign in order to start a small confectionery business. Needless to say, de Lambert was less than thrilled about this._

.

Ciel surveyed the room. Joker was the doctor, Claude the butler, Alois the patient's son, and Freckles the assistant…so who was to assume the role of Mademoiselle de Lambert, the very lady who invited them all?

As if on cue, the doors opened again, ever so quietly, and in stumbled a red-faced Mr. Doyle, clad in a long wig and an evening gown. The students made a poor attempt to stifle their laughter as the teacher tottered to the middle of the room and curtseyed, not daring to look any of them in the eye. The Viscount of Druitt applauded Doyle's little introduction. "May I introduce you all to Mademoiselle de Lambert, the host of tonight's dinner party." he said, and then, "I hope you all enjoy the menu I have prepared. Please use this time to get to know one another's characters."

With two claps of the viscount's gloved hands, servants entered the room, cleared the hors d'oeuvres from the table, and laid out a setting for each guest. Ciel was seated between Sebastian and Freckles (or Dolly, he supposed her real name was), with Alois sitting opposite him, in between Claude and Joker.

"Fancy seeing you here, Skye!" said Freckles pleasantly. This was the second time Ciel had seen her this way, elegant and ladylike. It certainly wasn't a bad thing. She looked quite different in a simple pin-tucked blouse, and a long, pastel blue, bustled skirt with all her hair swept up into a bun. But alas, once she decided that Ciel had stared at her long enough, she stuck out her hand and flicked his forehead.

After a split second of reeling back from the sudden pain, Ciel returned to his senses and offered an appropriate reply. "It's good to see you again, Dolly, was it?"

Freckles smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, that's why I like being called 'Freckles'."

The dinner proceeded as such – small talk was made during the first two courses, and by the time the soup had arrived, the students began to assume their roles for the murder mystery, getting to know one another's characters.

From their conversations, Ciel gathered that de Lambert's assistant (played by Freckles) was unhappy with her employer's dealings with that colleague of hers, Doctor Kelvin. According to her, these dealings did not seem to be of romantic nature, though still somewhat illicit. When Ciel struck up conversation with 'Doctor Kelvin', he skirted around the issue of the recent police inquiry, and changed the subject when asked specific questions about his occupation. Meanwhile, he noticed that the butler and the tutor did nothing but give each other evil looks throughout the meal, and he certainly noticed Alois' foot brushing against his more than once, though he tried to ignore the gesture.

The guests were just finishing off their dessert when Mlle. de Lambert excused herself (or _him_self) from the room and encouraged the guests to rise and continue to mingle. The earl was highly amused that Mr. Doyle managed to make it through a five-course meal pretending to be a lady, forgetting that he was doing the same thing himself.

They all rose from their seats and enjoyed a glass of champagne each as the table was cleared for the next phase of the night. Lord Chamber did the rounds, shaking or kissing hands, and Ciel was most displeased that he was recipient to the latter.

Only a few minutes lapsed, when a great shriek drew everyone's attention to the adjacent bathroom, where Mr. Doyle lay on the floor in a puddle of fake blood.

While the students gaped at how adept their teacher was at playing dead, the viscount extracted his notebook again and narrated.

.

_After hearing the loud scream, you hurry to the bathroom, and find Mademoiselle de Lambert lying in a pool of her own blood. She is clearly dead, with a steak knife lodged in her chest._

_Now it is up to you, the guests, to find out…who killed Mlle. de Lambert?_

.

Lord Chamber explained the rules of the second phase; the students would be paired up with each other. They would then have an hour to search for clues in the three rooms nearby, form a conclusion as to who killed Mademoiselle de Lambert, and return to the dining room to present their findings.

Joker fidgeted uneasily as the viscount referred to his handy notebook for the list of partners. Would he be paired with…? He loosened his necktie slightly, and felt sweat forming on his forehead. He wanted just a moment with him, with Ciel. What he would say, what he'd do, he didn't really know. What he did know was that there was something captivating about his presence, and that this drew him to the earl. He held his breath and ignored the deafening sound of his pounding heartbeat as Lord Chamber began to read the names out.

"Tonight's teams are as follows: Sebastian and Claude, Joker and Dolly, and Skye and Alois."

Funny how a simple string of words could rob the smile from Joker's lips. While Dolly approached him and happily chirped away about getting along and doing her best, all the ginger-haired one could do was stare longingly at that boy in that dress, whom he'd wanted to get to know a little more, but now couldn't. He watched as the Viscount of Druitt introduced the earl to Alois, the one who was meant to help him, but who now seemed to be taking Ciel away.

"Alois, take care of this pretty young robin, won't you?" said Lord Chamber as he took Ciel's hand and placed it in the blonde one's.

Somehow, Ciel didn't think he'd be looked after very well at all.

The viscount patted Alois on the head, a gesture that went unappreciated by the latter, though he didn't do anything about it. "Skye, this is Alois Trancy. He is a charming little character, so try not to fall for him, okay?"

Alois smiled warmly at Ciel. "Don't be silly, Uncle Aleister. Skye wouldn't fall for a ratbag like me."

Uncle? He was sure he heard correctly. Those two were related? It wouldn't be surprising if it were true. He couldn't be left to ponder this though, as Mr. Doyle, who had 'miraculously' recovered and had changed back into men's clothing, announced the start of the investigation. The grey-haired boy watched as Sebastian and Claude exited the room to begin their search. Even though neither seemed to be too thrilled about being paired together, Ciel felt the tiniest hint of jealousy. Of course, that was only because Sebastian's quick wit would ensure that they'd win the game.

A hand crept up his arm and rested menacingly on his shoulder.

"I guess you're stuck with me!" chirped Alois.

.

.

"Whatcha got there, Skye?"

"Nothing," mumbled Ciel unenthusiastically, "Please don't come over."

Alois did just the opposite, and stood right behind him, perching his chin on Ciel's shoulder and resting a hand on Ciel's waist. This was the seventh time tonight – the earl had been counting.

"I need to see all the evidence you find too, Skye. We're a team, after all."

What a sorry excuse. It was obvious that Alois was coming on to him – he wasn't even trying to be subtle about it! Always touching his hand, always grabbing him by the waist and whispering things right in his ear…Ciel couldn't stand it! The only way he could distract himself was to concentrate on solving the murder mystery.

He had deduced thus far that Mlle. de Lambert had been helping her colleague divert anaesthetics illegally, and that this may have something to do with the police enquiry. If Doctor Kelvin feared that de Lambert would tell all, he would have wanted to silence her. But if he wanted to do so, would he not have chosen a more covert method? For the murder to be so crude and gruesome, perhaps there was a grudge involved, where perhaps one of her secret lovers became jealous and committed a crime of passion. Or it could have been the personal assistant, bitter that her mistress would not dismiss her. It could even be Alois, trying to eliminate the person standing between him and Skye, the niece. The possibilities were all there – all he had to do was gather enough evidence to point to one suspect. This would definitely have been easier if his partner would do more thinking and less flirting. If Sebastian was his partner, this would've been that much easier.

Time was almost up now, and Ciel tried to coolly discuss the case with Alois, ignoring his touchy-feely tendencies. They had to present their conclusion to the group soon, and the boy was sure as hell that he wouldn't let this annoying prick get in the way of him winning the game.

"We should head back to the dining room now, everyone will be waiting." he told the blonde boy, already making his way out of the room.

A firm hand reached out and took his wrist. He went to shake it off, but Alois tugged him backward and swung him around so his back met painfully with the nearby wall. He was close, so close that Ciel could feel the gaze of those brilliant turquoise eyes pierce right through him.

Alois Trancy chuckled and pinned his wrist to the wall. "There's still time. No one will notice if we're a bit late."

His other hand traversed Ciel's cheek, down to his neck and the bare expanse of his shoulder, pushing away the strap of his gown. This couldn't be happening. The hand that used to be holding his wrist had begun to play with his hair. He felt his stomach lurch. Alois' head swooped in, lips barely touching Ciel's collarbone. The earl was frozen in shock. If his heart would beat any faster, it'd burst through his chest.

No. He couldn't afford to be dumbstruck like this. He had to move now, or else Alois would find out that he wasn't Skye Barnett. He pushed the blonde away forcefully, sending him back several paces. This was worse – his wig had still been tangled up in that swine's fingers, it almost slipped right off! Ciel held onto his head, panicking, and rushed out of the room. He had to find somewhere to fix his wig; all the effort to avoid Alois would be in vain if someone noticed that his wig had come off.

He tottered down the hallway towards the dining room, trying to think of a good place to fix this ridiculous costume of his. Perhaps he could use the bathroom where Mlle. de Lambert had 'died'. Yes, that would be most convenient.

…it was only once he'd shut the bathroom door and locked it that he noticed the man in the dark clothes and sunglasses standing behind him. He was ten times larger than Ciel, and armed. Ciel didn't even have a chance to scream before he was seized at gunpoint. His hands were bound. His mouth gagged. The only thought that crossed his mind before everything went black – where was Sebastian?

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**A/N:** Long time no see! A thousand apologies for this super late chapter... I've been experiencing the worst case of writer's block ever - even though I knew what I wanted to write, I couldn't even form sentences properly. orz

A lot has gone on since the last update - I've been busy with work, and I joined a cosplay group too (info will be on my profile if you're interested!). And OMG the Kuro manga just keeps getting better! There's some interesting theories popping up since we saw Sebastian's cinematic record. What theories have you guys come up with?

Let me know what you think of this chapter too! And fear not, although I may update at a snail's pace sometimes, I am not giving up on this fanfic! In fact, I have it all planned out to the end, so I _can't_ give up. :3


	20. Lesson Eighteen

Lesson Eighteen: Trust Nobody

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Upon returning to the dining room alone, Alois received many a surprised look. He sat down at the dining table, now set with cups of tea and petit fours. The other guests, who had previously been discussing their conclusions in their pairs, somehow all turned their attention to the blonde.

"Where's Skye?" asked that girl named Doll, or whatever it was. Alois noticed when Joker visibly twitched at the mention of Skye's name. He wanted to giggle at this, but that wouldn't have been appropriate.

Instead he shrugged, crossing his legs and picking up a macaron from a tiered cake stand on the table. "She said she had to use the bathroom. Probably fixing her makeup or something."

Mr. Doyle and Lord Chamber looked at their watches, then at each other. Alois was rather late, and Skye even more so, but they both agreed to wait another few minutes.

.

The allotted few minutes had lapsed, and the adults once again checked their watches. What could Skye possibly be doing right now? She knew full well that the meeting was starting. They elected Dolly, the only other female present, to go to find her. They watched her tiptoe down the hallway, to the bathroom. They watched as she knocked lightly on the door a couple of times, before trying the handle.

Then they watched, shocked, when the door flung open, sending her flying onto the floor with a shriek. A burly man in black clothing emerged from the room, with a bound, unconscious Skye slung over his shoulder.

It immediately dawned upon Joker – this was the chance he was waiting for! Was all of this part of Alois' elaborate setup to give Joker a chance to prove his mettle? It couldn't possibly be anything else! Without a second thought, he rushed towards the thug, reaching for Ciel's hand.

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"Joker, get down!"

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_BANG_.

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A collective scream.

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Before he had time to do anything else, Joker found himself face down on the ground, an unfamiliar weight upon him. Sebastian had tackled him to the floor mere seconds before the kidnapper fired his gun and escaped with his hostage. His heart was beating so loudly he couldn't even hear the wild babble of the other dinner guests. He could barely think, let alone speak, as his upperclassman helped him to his feet.

"Who the _hell_ was _that_?" Alois' question was directed at Dolly, who had been just a metre away from Joker when the man opened fire, and was now m far too shaken to offer an answer. Mr. Doyle draped his jacket over her and escorted her back into the dining room.

The boy with marmalade hair observed Alois' tearing eyes and trembling hands. So this wasn't a part of any setup at all? Joker's stomach was in knots when he realised the implications. If that kidnapping was not actually staged, then Ciel's life was most definitely in danger…and worst of all, though he was afraid to admit it, there was nothing Joker could do about it.

"_Shit_," Alois spat. He nervously padded back and forth down the hallway before kicking the wall angrily. "This is all my fault!" he pulled violently at his own blonde locks.

Sebastian gently placed his gloved hands over Alois' and stopped him from – _literally_ – tearing his hair out. "Don't blame yourself," he quietly reprimanded, "There was no way you could have known."

"But I should've gone with her or something!" Alois growled back. He pushed Sebastian away and said with great conviction, "I have to save her." He was about to dart down the corridor in the direction of the kidnapper, when Sebastian stopped him once more.

"Don't act so rashly."

"Sebastian is right, Alois," said Mr. Doyle from the dining room. "You don't know where that man could have run off to, not to mention he's armed."

Joker clenched his fists. "We have to do _something_."

The leader of the Host Club nodded. "Agreed."

The guests turned to the Viscount of Druitt, who was still trying, gape-mouthed and wide-eyed, to make sense of what had just occurred. He was brought back to his senses when Mr. Doyle, having already attended to Dolly, asked him to alert either a security guard or other members of staff, and inform them about the intruder. The blonde man's once proud demeanour faltered when he said, "The staff have all left for the evening. There's nobody else on the premises but us."

The students were speechless. Mr. Doyle looked like his head would explode. "B-but how can that be? Shouldn't they have at least stayed to clear up the dining room?"

"I'd like to think that when my staff come to my holiday home, they are entitled to a holiday as well…"

"What about security cameras?" pressed Joker. "We could use the footage to at least find out where the kidnapper could be."

Agreement resounded amongst the other students, though Sebastian cut in before they could follow that train of thought any further.

"I do believe that it is our foremost task to alert the authorities."

Joker's sigh was laden with frustration. Of course, that damned Sebastian was right. As Mr. Doyle used his cell phone to contact the police, the other dinner guests gathered silently. A menacing feeling settled upon all those present. What fate would befall Skye? They had to save her, but the kidnapper was armed! What if he did something terrible even before help arrived?

Trying not to think about worst-case scenarios, Mr. Doyle and Lord Chamber herded the nervous crowd back into the dining room, within which they barricaded themselves, in consideration of the students' safety. Although Joker's idea of accessing security footage was indeed good and chivalrous, the adults explained that it was simply too risky to allow anyone to wander out on their own. And so, Joker joined Alois in pacing anxiously back and forth. Dolly sat in the same place Mr. Doyle had left her, on the brink of tears but too frightened to cry. Sebastian discussed the most sensible course of action with the adults. All this time, Claude was the only person who hadn't said a thing.

"Can't you help come up with ideas?" Alois snapped at him, "Or at least _act_ like you give a fuck?"

"There is ample worry contributed by the rest of you," said Claude flatly. "And there is not much else we can do right now."

The sound of a slap caught the attention of everyone else in the room. Claude did not even bother to nurse his now beet-red cheek.

"I can't believe you." Alois said darkly, his eyes set on the floor.

Joker put a hand on the blonde boy's shoulder. "Calm down, Alois. We're all worried for Skye, but don't let your actions get out of hand."

The younger one heaved a weary sigh, and relented. Despite having stopped Alois, Joker knew deep down he too would have given Claude a piece of his mind, if he had been given the chance.

.

Several minutes lapsed, though they felt like hours. The room had been filled with a deathly silence that whole while, save for the ticking of the clock. Suddenly, the group heard hurried footsteps making their way back down the hall and into a familiar room. They finished with a barely audible click as the door was closed. Had the guests been anything but noiseless, it would have gone unnoticed.

That _had_ to be their kidnapper.

The Viscount of Druitt gave a half-smile. "He's a smart one, that one. He must've realised that breaking out of a window or door without entering a security code would set off the alarm."

"Mr. Doyle," said Joker quietly, "How long to go until the police arrive?"

The teacher checked his watch. "I'd say another five minutes."

Joker then turned to his upperclassman, the Host Club leader. "A chance like this is too crucial to pass up."

Sebastian grinned, pursing his chin between a gloved thumb and forefinger, and said, "I believe you are correct."

He gathered the students together again, this time with a plan involving logic, the wooden footstool in the corner, and that decorative rope that adorned the curtains over there.

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Lord Chamber was given the task of protecting the more vulnerable members of their group – Dolly, who had probably seen her share of action for today, and Alois, who was far too agitated to be of assistance. He locked the doors of the dining room to ensure nobody could enter, and he forbade the two students from leaving the room. All they could do now was hope for the best.

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"_For our plan to work, we must utilise as few people as possible due to the small space available. Alois and Dolly, I believe it is best for the two of you to remain in hiding. You must ensure that the doors are locked to prevent the kidnapper from entering."_

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Joker and Mr. Doyle sat just around the corner at the end of the short corridor, waiting for their target to emerge from the bathroom. The student anxiously twisted the rope between his hands and held his breath. Timing was everything.

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"_Joker, if I may ask you to assist Mr. Doyle with the rope. It is in our best interest that you both stay out of sight until the last minute."_

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Claude's face was as stony as always, as he carefully unlocked the door using the master key. Lo and behold, there stood the kidnapper, with Skye still bound and gagged and in his grip.

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"_For the purposes of this rescue, we will need the master key that you carry on your person, Lord Chamber. Claude will use this to open the bathroom door, which will surely be locked. At this point, our culprit will probably be taken aback at his being discovered. We will give him time to regain his composure, as we will need him to think on his feet too."_

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Claude gave the black-clad man a moment to compose himself after being found out. He slipped the key back into his pocket and raised his hands as the kidnapper brandished his weapon and stepped out of the bathroom.

"D-don't t-try anything funny!" stuttered the man, "I-if you try anything, I'll shoot!"

He pointed the gun at Skye to prove his point. Claude stepped out of his way, leaving the corridor open for him to make his escape.

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"_Because he seems to only want Skye, and because he has been cornered, he will not shoot anyone else unnecessarily. Instead he will threaten to shoot his hostage if we attempt anything. Of course, we will be courteous and allow him a chance to escape."_

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In a heartbeat, the kidnapper shoved Skye into Claude's arms as a distraction, and dashed off down the hallway again. Claude caught the unconscious victim and watched as the man ran away.

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"_And that is when we will act."_

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"It's your turn," said Claude, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

"I'm all too aware," said Sebastian, jumping out from behind the bathroom door and sprinting towards the kidnapper, stool in hand.

The kidnapper ran to the end of the hallway and was about to turn the corner, when Joker and Mr. Doyle came out from it, holding a rope to block his way.

With one deft swing of the stool, Sebastian knocked the kidnapper out from behind.

As the man fell to the ground, Joker and Mr. Doyle wasted no time in tying him up to prevent him from escaping again.

Predictably, at that time, the sound of sirens could be heard, heralding the arrival of the authorities.

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The first thing on everyone's minds was to ensure that Skye was well. They watched as the paramedic assessed her for injuries. Once she was declared healthy and safe, though still unconscious, she was handed over to Sebastian, who kept an eye on her until she regained consciousness.

Joker watched the pair from afar, biting his lip bitterly. Something deep down made him feel that he should be the one at Ciel's side, waiting for him to wake up. He looked around for Alois, who appeared to have had the soul drained out of him. The boy couldn't have been the one to set this up, could he? Even so, Joker felt as though his golden opportunity had passed him by.

Sebastian sat on the ground, nursing his comatose neighbour. Ciel looked so harmless while he lay there. Alas, that was not to last, as the earl finally twitched ever so slightly, and returned to the waking world. Though his vision was still hazy and he was still disoriented, Ciel could make out the features of Sebastian's smiling face gazing down at him.

"Idiot," whispered the boy. He raised his tiny hand and made a weak attempt at slapping Sebastian's cheek. "What took you so long? I waited forever."

Catching the tired hand, the black-haired one chuckled. "Thinking of me even when your life is in danger, milady? I'm deeply moved."

He knew Ciel was perfectly fine when the boy's entire face went red, as it always did.

The rest of the group was also assessed for injuries, and each person was interviewed for any information they could offer. The kidnapper was taken in by the police. Slowly, the tension from the past few moments disappeared and once it was confirmed that everybody was safe and sound, the group was permitted to return to the academy.

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As he escorted the students back to their respective rooms, Mr. Doyle pondered over the events that unfolded tonight. Who was that man? What were his intentions? The dinner party was a private event; he wouldn't have known about it if he were simply some opportunist looking for a ransom. That could only mean that he was working under someone's orders – possibly someone who was present tonight. But whom?

He didn't want to be rude, but the Viscount was rather suspicious. He already had a less-than-perfect reputation, and he'd invited so many high-profile children to his home, yet he sent his servants away and left the premises unsecured.

It could not have been Claude or Sebastian, he decided, as he'd seen them arrive in the dining room long before the other groups, and he had been with them the entire time. There was no way for them to know that Skye had gone into the bathroom when she did.

Joker and Dolly did not seem to have any part to play in this. If anything, Joker was the most active in finding ways to rescue Skye, and he couldn't think of a reason for Dolly to want to target Skye anyway.

Alois could have been behind it, but it couldn't be possible. He was such a young and happy boy, and he barely knew Skye at all – in fact, was today not their first meeting? All this, and he turned into such a wreck when she had been kidnapped. No, there was no way it could've been him.

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One by one the students were seen to their suites; Sebastian and Skye first, then Dolly, Joker and then Claude. Finally they stopped in front of Alois' room, and the boy turned and smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to help," he said.

Mr. Doyle patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It's not your fault, Alois. Just try to get some rest. If there's anything you need, let the academy staff know."

"Thanks," he mumbled, and went into his room.

Mr. Doyle sighed. There was no use in pointing fingers without proof. The police would probably sort this whole thing out. He went on his way, hoping to shake off the stress and get some sleep.

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Male students weren't permitted to enter the suites of female students, but Mr. Doyle made an exception to this rule seeing as Skye would probably need someone to tend to her tonight. He allowed Sebastian to accompany her – the student seemed to be someone he could trust.

"I'm fine," Ciel said, taking off his wig and placing it on a wig stand. "You don't have to sit there and babysit me."

Sebastian observed the boy, whose hands were visibly trembling when he removed his wig and makeup. "I can stay here until you fall asleep, if you like."

Ciel went into his bathroom in order to change out of his burdensome dress. "Just go away, will you?" he snapped. There was no reply.

When he re-entered his bedroom, there was no sign of his upperclassman. There was no denying that his heart sunk when he didn't find his irritating neighbour sitting there. But who was he kidding? Sebastian had no reason to stay anyway. It was probably better that he had left.

…But now that he was alone again, his surroundings seemed that much more frightening. Without turning back to switch off neither the bathroom nor bedroom light, he leapt into his bed, took off his eye-patch, and threw the covers over himself. Yes, he'd feel safer with the lights on tonight.

"Apparently the little master is not as 'fine' as he claims."

That voice caused Ciel to sit straight up in bed. There, next to the desk, was Sebastian, with the young earl's wig in his lap.

"W-when did you…" Ciel felt like his head would explode from rage.

"I thought I would help brush your wig for you, as a neighbourly gesture." smiled the black-haired one. He looked at Ciel, who was still fuming, and for the first time he caught sight of Ciel's damaged eye. He was too slow to hide the surprise on his usually composed face.

When Ciel realised what Sebastian was gawking at, he hastily covered his eye with his hand and retreated back under the covers. He waited for the snide comments to follow.

The Host Club leader set the wig back upon its stand and smiled fondly. He moved to the bed and sat down at the edge of it, next to Ciel. The boy shifted a little at the change in weight distribution, and looked over his shoulder at the other. He had his back to Ciel, thankfully.

"Not to worry, little master. You ought to be resting now – being held hostage must be a very tiresome task indeed."

Ciel scowled.

"I can stay here until you fall asleep, if you wish."

"Fine," replied Ciel. "But don't tell anyone about this."

Sebastian smirked. "Would you be referring to my staying over, or to your eye?"

"You know damned well what I mean."

"Then I shall not utter a word about anything that occurred after returning to the academy."

After a pause, Ciel turned over and settled in properly.

"Good night, Sebastian."

"Good night, little master."

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As soon as he closed the door of his suite, he received a call.

"Oh, Uncle Aleister! You didn't have to call me up!"

"I was worried about you," came the concerned voice on the other end of the line. "Is everything okay?"

Alois smiled ear to ear, "Yes, I'm still getting over the shock of it all, but I'll be okay."

"You're such a good boy. I'm so sorry this had to happen at an event you planned."

"It's okay. I feel bad that I brought everyone together only to have all this happen." he said regretfully as he sat down at the end of his bed.

"Don't be silly, Alois. There was no way you could've known. Now get some sleep. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks Uncle Aleister. Good night."

Once the viscount hung up, the blonde boy sighed and lay himself flat on the bed. What a stressful night it had been. He kicked off his shoes and began to take off his purple coat when different ringtone sounded – the source was another phone in his coat pocket.

He answered begrudgingly. "Idiot! Why are you calling me _now_?"

"They let me make a call in private."

"It'd better be private."

"I'm sorry, Sir! I don't know what I was thinking!"

"I don't know what you were thinking either, dumbass. You're lucky _he_ didn't discover anything. You know what happens now."

"Sir, please don't! I don't have anyone else–!"

"I'm hanging up. Good luck."

With that, he pointedly pressed the disconnect button. He scowled at the mobile phone as if it had fallen in mud, and tossed it on the ground. For good measure, he stood up and stomped on it several times.

"Bastard," he spat. It'd be hard to get to sleep now that he was in such a bad mood.

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* * *

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**A/N**: Happy New Year, everyone! In the blink of an eye, another year has passed! Yet I'm only up to chapter eighteen… orz

On a ranty note, Mr. Doyle is indeed meant to be Arthur from the Murder Mystery arc, who is meant to be Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories. People just seem to think his last name is 'wordsmith' because the characters referred to him as 'Mr. Wordsmith' in the scanlation. I think the scanlation team has already pointed out that it's not his actual last name, but a nickname of sorts. They're pretty much calling him 'Mr. Person-Who-is-skilled-in-Writing'. Please stop referring to him as 'Arthur Wordsmith' – it's not his last name!

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Moving right along… Now that we're into a new year, people come up with resolutions. But deciding on my own resolutions are boring…so I'm wondering what New Year's resolutions you think the characters of Kuro would come up with? xD


	21. Lesson Nineteen

Lesson Nineteen: Still Waters Run Deep

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Ciel was exempt from attending class. He was given twenty-four hour access to a counselor, as well as room service privileges. Though Madame Red was being held up overseas at the time, Ciel already had his hands full with all the cards and flowers and chocolates from his classmates. Both male and female students were permitted to visit for short periods of time if Ciel allowed them to do so (though he generally didn't). Unexpectedly, many students turned up to see how he was doing – not only the members of the Host Club, and Freckles, who seemed to have taken a liking to him (or Skye, more correctly), but also people who previously had never even acknowledged his existence. Among those who paid the most frequent visits were Joker, and that bratty blonde airhead, Alois Trancy.

To be fair, while it was tiresome to interact with so many people all the time, Ciel rather enjoyed Joker's company. For one, he didn't have to pretend to be a girl when the older student was around, which put him at ease and allowed him to actually get some rest. He also proved to be an interesting person to talk to, though many of their ideals differed. It was fun to have someone with whom to debate and argue, and Ciel made a sport of it, though Joker did not seem to be as enthusiastic about contradicting his junior. When they weren't discussing their respective worldviews, Joker would take out his guitar and play Ciel's song of choice.

The boy did feel somewhat guilty for not caring enough about music to have a favourite song for Joker to play. Usually he would request any generic popular song, and other times he would ask Joker to choose a song to perform. One day, however, he decided to wind up his music box for Joker to hear. He asked the orange-haired one to arrange the melody to be played on the guitar.

"That's a pretty gloomy tune there," Joker remarked, staring at the little music box on Ciel's bedside table. "I mean, it's nice. The music box is pretty and all, too. But don't you think it sounds really…morbid?"

Ciel was a bit confused at the fact that Joker didn't recognise the music box. When Sebastian gave it to him, he _did_ mention that it was a gift from the Host Club as a whole. Perhaps he hadn't shown the final product to the other club members before presenting it. That guy was always doing things of his own accord anyway.

In the end, Joker had no qualms about obliging to Ciel's request. Each time he visited he would show Ciel what progress he had made, like a child showing off to his parents. The earl thought it was kind of endearing, really – Joker smiled so widely when he played, and his face seemed to glow. Nevertheless, what was so great about playing this piece was beyond Ciel. Perhaps all musicians felt like that when performing something new.

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Thursday arrived sooner rather than later. Joker happily played for Ciel the finished version of the music box melody, and delighted in the tiny smile that spread across the boy's lips as he listened.

What made his heart beat even faster was when the grey-haired boy informed him that he'd still be present at the Host Club tomorrow, even if Skye was not attending classes. He couldn't stop himself from grinning as he left Ciel's room and headed for the elevators at the end of the hallway.

Alas, that grin proved to be short-lived, when the elevator doors opened and he stood face-to-face with Alois, with Claude hovering behind as always. The blonde offered a confident 'hello' and walked right past him; he was probably on his way to visit Ciel too. That kid had barely spoken to Joker since that night at the home of the Viscount of Druitt. When he did speak to him, he only reassured Joker that things would work out in the end, whatever that meant. He also gave half-baked, clichéd advice, like 'talk to her to get to know her better', and 'make her laugh' and 'buy her gifts'. This was not the help he'd agreed to lend, and Joker had a feeling that he knew why it was so difficult to talk to him now.

.

Alois was interested in Skye.

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Of _course_ that boy wouldn't help him out anymore. He wanted to catch Ciel's attention too. It probably started that night at the murder mystery dinner. Sure, Alois had seen Skye from a distance when they were at the ball, but having to be close to each other, interacting with each other even for just an evening, was a different thing altogether.

Joker momentarily wondered how Alois would react if he ever found out that Skye Barnett was really Ciel Phantomhive. He didn't have time to take his thoughts further though, since he had arranged to catch up with Beast in five minutes or so.

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Ciel had to admit he preferred the attention he received as a host compared to the attention he received as a victim of a kidnapping. Admiration and awe were far better than the pitying looks and false sympathy girls seemed to be so good at showing. He decided that being a girl was far too complicated, and thanked the heavens he wasn't _actually_ one.

"Did anyone hear about what happened to that girl?" said Number 30 as she picked up her teacup and took a quick sip.

Numbers 11 and 45 shuffled in closer. "You mean Skye Barnett?"

"I heard she got kidnapped!"

Ciel kept a straight face. "I did hear something about that," he replied. "She was only taken hostage for a short time. No big deal."

His clients stared at him.

"Nevertheless, it must have been a rather terrifying experience." said that damned voice that always came up from behind him. Sebastian.

The girls nodded in agreement with the older host. And he was right – it _was_ terrifying. It was something Ciel would not wish on anybody. But it was nothing compared to… Ciel didn't want to think about it.

Sebastian laid a hand gently on Ciel's shoulder. "I am sure Skye knows she has someone she can turn to when she feels distressed, and she appreciates your kind thoughts."

In an instant, the earl was overwhelmed with a feeling that he could only describe as 'warm and fuzzy'.

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Sitting in his usual spot at the far corner of the clubroom, Grell watched Ciel being watched by Joker. That kid was getting a lot of attention, though he seemed completely unaware of it. The little brat – he didn't know how lucky he was.

"You've noticed it too, haven't you, Mister Grell?" That was Agni, who had finished with his group of clients and had come to join the redhead.

Grell smiled, baring his jagged teeth. "I've noticed it. The way he looks at that kid."

"And you may have noticed the way he looks at that blonde-haired one who lives down the hall from you, too?"

"That, I have." said the bespectacled one. "Alois Trancy, I think his name was?"

Agni sighed. "If what's happening is what I think is happening, we may have quite a predicament on our hands."

Grell chuckled. "Oh, it's just a fleeting crush. Joker obviously feels too awkward to talk to us about it, so he's got that blondie to talk to."

The Indian shook his head. It was not as simple as that. "I suspect that there's more to it. That Alois Trancy seems to emanate wrath everywhere he goes. It makes me uneasy." He ran solid fingers through his snowy hair. "Because Mister Joker is desperate, he may be getting involved in something terrible."

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Grell hummed. "So you think you're a pretty good judge of character then, Agni?"

"You speak highly of me, Mister Grell."

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He always found himself staring at Ciel. He couldn't help it. The boy had such an intriguing air about him, it was difficult not to notice. This time, Joker wasn't staring with the usual feeling of butterflies in his stomach, but more with confusion.

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Yesterday he caught up with Beast, who seemed to have been avoiding him lately. In fact, he hadn't seen or spoken to her since the Mid-Autumn Festival event. They met at the gelateria, and Joker had bought a hazelnut gelato for Beast and a raspberry sorbetto for himself. To begin with, it was as awkward as Joker had expected it to be. He merely watched with vague interest as his childhood friend ate her gelato. He was waiting for something to happen.

"You two are quite close, aren't you? You and Skye." Beast had spoken out of the blue, and even though Joker was waiting, he was caught completely off-guard.

"N-no, not really. She's just a friend."

The dark-haired girl examined his face and smiled. "Then you have a thing for her, don't you?"

"A 'thing'?"

"You know, like a crush."

Baffled, Joker could only say, "I…I do..?"

His companion laughed while he tried to gather his thoughts. Could Beast be right? Sure, he felt _something_ for Ciel. He had let Alois think that it was romantic (or sexual) attraction just to save himself any hassle, and had never bothered to think of whether or not it _was_ romantic attraction that drew him to Ciel Phantomhive. But now, hearing it from Beast actually made him consider it. He acted so unlike himself around Ciel – always jumping at a chance to help the boy, being jealous when he was with someone else, and his heart fluttering at a mere smile.

That had to be it. It was so obvious, Joker wanted to punch himself.

"I-I guess I do…" he admitted to himself contently.

Across the small table, Beast kept her lively eyes on him. She let out a sigh. "You're a confusing one, you know? Sometimes you're really quick-witted and other times it's like you're missing half a brain."

Joker chuckled at the comment and made more progress on his sorbetto.

"Anyway, I asked you to come today because I had something to tell you."

His attention was piqued again.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I'm going to back off now, so you can relax."

The words didn't quite register in his head, but Beast didn't realise this and continued talking, though her manner was subdued. "I've decided to move back home and receive specialised tuition. I'm going to become a vet."

The small plastic spoon slipped out of Joker's hand without him knowing.

"You're…leaving?"

Beast's became energetic again. "Basically, yeah. So now you can work on getting closer to Skye without me being in the way."

Her words burned, even though Joker agreed with her. This turn of events was favourable for him, but his heart still wrenched. She had given him the revelation that he could be in love with Ciel, and now she had even given him her blessing to grow his relationship with the earl. But though he'd gained all that, he was losing her. Though he'd practically refused to acknowledge her presence during her time at the academy, it made him ache that she was honestly going away. And he could tell by the way her eyes glistened, Beast had hurt herself with her own words.

"When are you going?"

"Tomorrow morning. I just wanted to say goodbye."

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And that was it. There was no warm embrace, no goodbye kiss, just a pleasant smile and a wave as Beast left the gelateria. Joker didn't dare meet her at the gate this morning to see her off.

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As he watched Ciel, the object of his newly-realised affection, he wondered; where to from here? Should he keep on doing what he was doing, helping him in small ways, hoping to just get a smile out of the boy, or should he just confess to him? What a silly, girlish thing to do, Joker thought. Furthermore, what would happen if he _did_ blurt out his feelings to Ciel, and the boy simply laughed at him? Despite this, he wanted so badly to be acknowledged. There was always a possibility that Ciel felt the same way, that he noticed all the little things Joker had done for him up until now. Even if Ciel rejected him, he had to make the younger host know how he felt. He _had_ to, or he felt he'd die.

With this at the forefront of his mind, pushing aside Beast's departure and his torn feelings, his footsteps grew more and more urgent as he left the clubroom. There was someone he had to contact.

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Alois was trying out the new phone Claude had bought for him, after he'd told the older student that he'd dropped his old one, cracking the screen. It wasn't bad – the screen was big enough for his liking and he preferred a touch-screen keyboard to a physical keypad. The blonde had just downloaded a new game and was about to start playing, when he got a call.

"It's our friend," he said. Claude made a low grunt-like sound.

Alois pressed the 'answer' button.

"Talk to me, Joker."

"I've been trying to contact you since yesterday!"

"Oh," said Alois, "I was between phones. Anyway, what is it?"

"I'm going to confess."

His golden brow furrowed. "You're what?"

"I'm gonna tell her – Skye. I'm gonna tell her how I feel."

"Good for you."

"Could you give me a few pointers? You seem to know your way around these sorts of things."

Alois leaned back in his chair and shot a quick glance around the café. "Wish I could help, buddy, but I've got my hands full with something else. I'll get in touch when I'm free."

"Oh. Okay then. Talk to you later."

Once Joker hung up, Alois pressed a finger to his temple. "He says he's gonna 'tell Skye how he feels', or some shit like that."

Claude raised an eyebrow. He knew it was a sensitive subject for Alois, since he had been talking about that girl non-stop ever since the murder mystery party. He, however, failed to see what was so special about the girl. That being said, Claude's attention had always been elsewhere.

"And what do you intend to do?" he asked the boy.

Grinning, Alois crossed one slender leg over the other. "I'm going to steal her from right under his nose."

Claude grimaced.

"Don't make that face, Claude. I'm going to make Skye my woman, and you're going to help me."

The bespectacled one grumbled. "Why do you feel so compelled to involve me in this?"

Alois poked his tongue out. "Because in order to win a girl over, you need a plan. And my plan just happens to require two people."

The response was an amused snort. "A plan? What sort of plan?"

At that moment, as if by divine appointment, Skye entered the café alone. Completely oblivious to Alois and Claude's presence, she walked to a table in the far corner and sat down to look at the menu.

Giggling devilishly, Alois replied, "It's a plan that starts off with a chance meeting."

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Claude observed quietly as the boy confidently strode over to Skye Barnett's side.

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**A/N:** Why do I feel that I updated faster this time? Must mean I'm jobless! :D Currently between jobs, so I've found that I've got a lot of free time on my hands.

That being said, this chapter is shorter than usual. No particular reason – I just stopped writing when it felt appropriate. The next Lesson is already in the works though.

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed/favourited/alerted the previous chapter! It's all this encouragement that helps me keep writing!


	22. Lesson Twenty

**Warnings**: Language, melodrama, and perhaps a long overdue peek into a certain black-haired, red-eyed host's thoughts?

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Lesson Twenty: You can't always get what You want

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Ciel looked up from the café menu, wondering if Soma was going to show up like he said he would. It wouldn't be the first time the Indian boy had left him waiting indefinitely, and it probably wouldn't be the last. To his distress, instead of catching sight of Soma, he saw the one person he never wanted to see again: Alois Trancy.

"Fancy seeing you here, Skye." Alois said in a pleasant tone.

Ciel scrunched his nose ever so slightly, but said in an equally pleasant tone, "Well, it _is_ lunchtime, and this _is_ a café."

Alois brushed the comment off quite nonchalantly, and helped himself to the empty seat that Soma should've filled about – he checked the time on his phone – three minutes ago. The earl shot an icy glare in his direction, but it went largely unnoticed. Instead, Alois fumbled in his pocket for something, and at length, extracted a handful of wrapped, brightly coloured sweets. Ciel recognised the ornate cat-in-a-frame printed on the wrapping.

"Funtom fizzy candy," said the blonde, as if Ciel didn't know. "Want one?"

The earl shook his wigged head. The sherbet candies were not amongst his favourite, although he knew he had to market at least _something_ sour in order to appeal to a wider range of palates. Funnily enough, the sour sweets were extremely popular.

His uninvited guest unwrapped one of the sweets and flattened the wrapper out on the table. "The CEO of this company is brilliant – to be able to manage a successful company like this at such a young age." He tossed the candy into his mouth. "Whatevs. It's probably nothing special."

Oh, if he only knew.

Before Ciel could interject with his own point of view, Alois spoke again. It appeared that he was pretty good at that.

"Anyway, there's this new cake shop that just opened, wanna come check it out with me? We can go tomorrow."

Was this guy serious? Ciel could only wonder. Sadly, it seemed that it was his fate to be stuck with people whose heads were floating up in space – if it wasn't Soma, then it would be Alois, and if it was neither, then he'd have his airheaded clientele to deal with. He sighed and looked around while Alois went on about this fantastic new cake shop. Sure, Ciel would've been interested in a new cake shop, but he definitely wasn't interested in going with _him_. His eye trailed off towards the entrance to the café, in case Soma had decided to finally show up, but for the second time that day, Ciel laid eyes on someone he never wanted to see again.

Yes, it was those two girls. He remembered their high-pitched whines and their even higher-pitched giggles. Their period of suspension was probably over. Come to think of it, the incident happened shortly after he'd joined the Host Club. Time had certainly flown. Which ones were they again? Oh, right. Numbers 15 and 24.

They were making their way to a vacant table. It seemed that they had not seen him, thankfully. However, Number 15 had turned to put down her bag, and their gazes locked…Or, at least, he thought they did. Number 15 tugged on Number 24's sleeve and pointed in Ciel and Alois' direction. Now that Ciel thought about it, it didn't look as though they were pointing at him, no. They were pointing at _Alois_. Did they know him? No, it was more likely that they were complaining about how Skye was with yet another male student. Then they stood up and began to walk towards his table. What a terrible lunch hour this was going to be, thought Ciel. He hadn't even managed to place his order yet.

Number 24 cleared her throat as she approached the table, causing Alois to stop mid-rant and turn around.

"Can I help you?" he asked innocently.

The girls folded their arms. "What're you doing with _her_?"

Alois frowned. "I can hang around whoever I want. You got a problem?"

Number 15 slammed her hands on the table. "Don't tell us you don't remember, you two-faced prick!"

Ciel was taken aback at what she said. That was most unexpected. What on Earth were they talking about? And all this while they had not even looked at Ciel. He felt himself shrink further into his seat as the standoff continued.

The blonde boy smirked. "I'm sure I would've remembered a bunch of noisy shits like you."

There was desperation in Number 24's tone. "Do you _know_ how much our reputations suffered because of you? Don't pretend you don't remember giving us–"

"My, my, what an animated gathering we have here today."

Everyone looked up. The girls panicked; Alois arched an eyebrow; Ciel felt he could breathe normally for the first time since setting foot in the café.

"Sebastian!"

The black-haired host smiled warmly. "At your service."

Thinking fast, Ciel stood to his feet and grabbed his schoolbag. "Sorry Alois, I just remembered, Sebastian is tutoring me tomorrow so I can't go to the cake shop with you."

He hurriedly went to stand behind the taller host, and added, "And I was waiting for him here so we could have lunch together, so let's catch up some other time."

With that, he took his neighbour by the wrist and practically dragged him out of the café, to the baffled stares of 15 and 24, Alois, and Claude.

.

Once they were safely on the other side of the campus, Ciel was able to give a sigh of relief. Of all the people he could bump into today, why did it have to be _those_ ones? He checked his phone – still no news from Soma, fifteen minutes after the time they'd agreed to meet. He decided to simply message the prince and tell him to reschedule.

"Good timing," he said to his neighbour as he sat down on a bench to quickly type out a message on his phone.

Sebastian sat down next to him. "I'm inclined to agree – it seems you have a talent for attracting disagreeable company." He waited for Ciel to send his message before saying, "And how are you feeling? It may be the weekend now, but it is the first time Skye has set foot outside her room in a week."

"I'm fine, so don't worry that pretty little head of yours." breathed Ciel, smoothing out the skirt that comprised part of his usual Saturday attire.

"I wouldn't have expected anything less from my little master." Sebastian's eyes formed crescents when he smiled. "Well then, where would you like to have lunch?"

The earl gave his neighbour a confused look.

"You said you were waiting to have lunch with me." clarified the older of the two.

He felt his cheeks grow hot. "I only said it to get Alois off my back!"

The black-haired one tsked and waved a finger at him. "Now now, little master. A _man_ ought not to go back on his word like that."

"Well as you can see, today I'm not exactly a ma–"

"We can go to whichever place you would like. It'll be my treat."

Ciel gave Sebastian a long, disbelieving stare. This guy wasn't going to give up. Nevertheless, he'd been given the chance to choose where to eat, and he didn't have to pay for himself (though he was more than capable of doing so); it was a sincere and generous offer. There'd be no harm in accepting it just once, right?

"In that case, I've been meaning to try the Turkish restaurant behind the gymnasium. They say the baklava there is to die for."

"That still does not mean you may have your baklava before your main meal."

Ciel whined a little as they walked off together.

.

.

.

Joker wasn't a fool. He wasn't going to say to Ciel whatever was at the top of his head at the time, no. He thought about the situation for several days; he pondered over what he would say and how he'd say it. He also considered what obstacles would need to be taken care of beforehand to ensure that his confession went smoothly – namely Sebastian.

This wouldn't be easy. Joker knew that Sebastian and Ciel were fairly close, being next-door neighbours as well as members of the Host Club. He spent more time with Ciel and probably knew him better, and he always seemed to snatch away Joker's opportunities to grow closer to the boy. There was no way this could be unintentional. He had to find that guy and lay down the law with him.

He narrowed his lined eyes. It wouldn't be an easy job, since Sebastian was his upperclassman as well as a co-leader of the Host Club. If things didn't go well, there would be consequences to his actions. He was taking a risk, but this would be a risk worth taking, right?

That settled it. With this justification, he quickly made his way to the mixed-gender hall. It was half-past six in the evening; Ciel usually studied with Soma and Agni at the library around this time, but Sebastian would be in his own suite.

.

.

He awkwardly sat on the couch in Sebastian's room while the older male brewed a cup of coffee for him. It was the first time he'd ever set foot in the room of the dark-haired one. The room was very modern with its checkerboard floor and white walls. The only wall that wasn't stark white was the one against which the bed was set; that one was covered in black wallpaper accented with a crimson fleur-de-lis motif that ran vertically down the middle of the wall. The furniture was an interesting mix of ultra-modern and refurbished antique pieces, all of which were a solid black or white. For a male's room, it was stylish and surprisingly spotless. It made Joker think of his own suite, with his belongings strewn everywhere, it was a madhouse.

Sebastian brought two steaming cups of coffee from the miniature kitchen (it could barely be called a kitchenette for its size) and set one down on the glass coffee table in front of Joker. He sat down in the Victorian-style armchair opposite him and took a careful sip from his cup. "So, Joker, what brings you here tonight?"

"I have to speak to you about Ciel."

His upperclassman raised an eyebrow. "Ciel, you say?"

"Yes," he said, clenching his fist. "I want you to stay away from him."

Sebastian lowered the coffee cup from his lips with a look of intrigue, giving Joker the cue to continue.

"I won't let you try to twist him around your little finger like you do with your clients, Sebastian. If you every do _anything_ to hurt him, you'll answer to me."

The red-eyed host watched Joker attentively; he had leaned forward so far, he was hovering over most of the coffee table. His hands gripped the fabric of his jeans so hard, his knuckles were white, and that look of wrath in his eyes– that would've been enough to make any other person scurry away in fear. Sebastian merely gave him a polite smile.

"I admire your will." he said. "You're telling me this so I don't get in the way when you tell him how you feel, aren't you? You will wait for me to distance myself from him so he won't be too attached to me and thus will be less likely to turn you down."

It was as if Sebastian could read his thoughts.

"You seem to have given this some consideration," said the Host Club leader with a sigh, "But do you not think that the fact that he is also male is an even _bigger_ obstacle to having your feelings accepted?"

Joker bristled at the comment, but he couldn't bring himself to respond. He had been so caught up in it all, he had overlooked the most elementary hurdle: they were both men. Sure, Joker wasn't bothered by it, though it was the first time he'd ever felt this way about someone of the same gender. However, this may be totally alien to Ciel. Would the young earl be totally disgusted if he were to confess? What if Ciel never wanted to talk to him ever again? The notion made him feel ill. Nevertheless, these could just be the words of one who was trying to eliminate the competition.

"I won't lose to you."

The older student chuckled low in his throat. "I'm flattered that you see me as your rival, but I must clarify – though I'd not recommend that you pursue Ciel, I am not going to stop you from doing so. Whatever he decides to do upon hearing your confession also has nothing to do with me." Sebastian gently placed his coffee on the table and mimicked Joker's stance, leaning forward so that they were face to face. He smiled kindly. "However, should you ever require a listening ear, I will happily lend one."

A pink blush swept across Joker's cheeks. He leaned back again and cleared his throat. This wasn't quite the reaction he had anticipated.

"I gotta get going," he said, rising to his feet and walking briskly to the door.

Sebastian stood too, "You are most welcome to stay a while longer."

"No, it's okay. I'll see you at the club or something. Thanks for the coffee." With that, he exited the room.

The black-haired one glanced down at the coffee table and noted, with a smile, that Joker had not even _touched_ his coffee.

How youthful and romantic it was, this notion that love would conquer all. In reality though, this was not the case. Love alone wouldn't cut it. Love is not all you need. This was the real world, and it was a cruel, insensitive and unforgiving one. Love itself was cruel, because it could make one feel like the most fortunate human alive, and in the blink of an eye cast one into the depths of despair.

He returned to his seat and reached for his coffee cup.

Ultimately, it did not matter how intense Joker's feelings were. If Ciel did not reciprocate these feelings, that would be the end of it. That fellow wanted something he couldn't have; he was longing for someone who didn't understand such things. Ciel Phantomhive was this sort of person. Imperceptive, oblivious to matters of the heart. And that was why it was better to keep a distance. Get close, but not too close – you wouldn't get hurt that way.

Sebastian's smile never left his face as he went to clean up, though by the time the cups were drying, his smile had transformed from the kind one he'd given Joker, to something bitter, even resentful.

.

.

.

He noticed that she had recently developed a habit of sitting on the steps leading up to the pulpit, especially in the evening when the lights had been turned on. When she sat there, the stage lights shone directly upon her, bathing her in a heavenly glow. He scowled as he made his way down the aisle. What a farce.

"Good evening, baby brother."

Ash ignored her belittling tone. "Good evening."

Angela's face glowed under the soft chapel lights. When her brother reached the front of the chapel, she stood to her feet so that the stairs elevated her enough to allow her to look down at him. How he wanted to erase that self-righteous look on her face.

"There's a rumour going around," she said teasingly, her voice trailing off, waiting for him to take the bait.

The host took a seat in the first pew. As usual, he kept his eyes on the cross ahead, not once glancing at his sister. "There are always rumours going around." he stated.

Angela's laughter filled the air. "Very profound." she remarked. "This particular rumour may interest you though. After all, it's about one of yours."

Ash could feel frustration and disappointment coming over him. If it was something Angela deemed worthy of mentioning to him, it could only be the most terrible of rumours. He didn't want to hear it. He wanted to rise and leave the chapel immediately, but he couldn't. It was as if his muscles were frozen. His body refused to do what he wanted it to do. In the corner of his eye he saw Angela cross her arms and tilt her chin up pompously.

"That Beast girl is leaving the academy all of a sudden, after having spent a lot of time with that Sebastian Michaelis."

Ash grimaced. "And?"

His sister shrugged. "People have seen him going to her room in the middle of the night. If that's not suspicious behaviour, I don't know what is."

"There are many reasons for him to go to her room," argued Ash, though he knew he would lose.

"But not many that would result in her having to leave the school for good." Angela said in a sing-song.

His shoulders slumped and his head felt heavy. He didn't know what to say to this girl anymore.

Her footsteps echoed throughout the chapel as she daintily stepped down from the platform and came to crouch at his side. She looked right into his face, forcing him to make eye contact. "You should put a leash on that one. On all of them. Testosterone is a dangerous thing, you know? Oh, think of what Mother and Father would say if they found out that their precious son is the head of such an immoral bunch! They would be mortified now, wouldn't they?"

His nails dug into his knees and his toes curled. It was such an effort to control his temper. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and spoke quietly so his voice didn't shake so much. "I am the head of a group that seeks to provide for all – we serve any client regardless of their appearance, their background or social standing. Our goal is to bring smiles to their faces and allow them to forget about their worries for a while. Is that such an evil thing?"

"Is it?" Angela repeated, words resonating against the walls. "You'd know better than me, little brother."

She smirked triumphantly as she watched Ash leave the chapel, feet dragging and fists trembling. Once he was gone, she decided it was time to take her leave, too. It was eight o'clock now, and it wouldn't do for a lady to go wandering about in the dark.

As she hurried across the courtyard towards the female students' hall of residence, Angela bumped into somebody.

"I'm sorry!" the girl said. Angela recognised the slate-grey pigtails and the brilliant blue eye.

"Unclean bitch," she muttered under her breath as she continued on walking.

The girl spoke again. "P-pardon me…?"

Angela turned around and feigned a sincere smile. "I said 'excuse me'."

"Oh…"

"Well then, good night." And she went on her way again. She couldn't believe how stupid these people were.

.

.

.

Because Skye was attending classes again, Joker didn't have the opportunity to make private visits anymore. Instead, he settled for asking Ciel to go to the clubroom a little earlier than usual to help him out with something. Now, he was nervous. He paced up and down the clubroom, sometimes checking the hallway, sometimes peering out the windows. When the door opened behind him, he thought his heart would stop.

"What did you need help with?" inquired Ciel, who had yet to don his male uniform.

Joker swallowed and took deep breaths, but it didn't help calm his heart at all. Everything he had prepared, all the words he wanted so say – everything vanished. His mind went blank at the sight of that eye staring at him.

Ciel began to ask whether Joker was feeling okay, when the latter grabbed that small hand and placed it over his chest. The startled earl tried to pull his hand away instinctively, but Joker held it firmly. He was shocked to feel how insanely fast Joker's heart was beating. At this rate Ciel feared his heart would fail.

"Do you feel that?" Joker demanded almost angrily.

The frightened boy nodded furiously.

"That's because of you!" Joker cried. He didn't mean for it to come out harshly, but it did. Even so, he couldn't let Ciel escape now. He'd been waiting too long for a chance like this. "Everything I do now is for you – my laughter, my sweat, my tears. It's all for you. Don't you get it? I like you. Maybe I could even be in love with you."

.

Ciel was dumbfounded. His eyes darted all over the room, since he couldn't look at Joker. This wasn't what he was expecting when Joker called him over to help him with 'something'. What on earth was he supposed to say?

"I-I-I'm…sorry, but…"

The door swung open and the earl felt as if his _own_ heart would leap out of his chest. He quickly and forcefully freed his hand from Joker's grasp and turned to see who had entered.

"You should consider changing your uniform, Ciel. The session starts in seven minutes exactly."

Ciel nodded vacantly at Ash's comment and went to get his uniform. He could hear the other Host Club members enter the room one by one, and once he'd changed he waited until everyone was there before he emerged.

The boy half-wished he had said something certain to Joker just before, but that wasn't possible. It was Joker's fault anyway – if he wanted a proper answer he should not have pulled such a bewildering stunt and caught Ciel off-guard. Knowing how Joker felt, the earl couldn't even look at him, with all the embarrassment and pity that overcame him. But he questioned whether or not he should have felt bad for not returning Joker's feelings. He couldn't help the fact that he didn't feel the same way, but now he couldn't bring himself to say 'no' to the guy outright.

The atmosphere in the clubroom had never been so awkward, when it looked like some of the others had cottoned on to what may have happened between Joker and Ciel. While he entertained his clients, his nerves were so high-strung that if they could be touched, then they would have snapped. He deliberately sat with his back to the rest of the room so that he wouldn't accidentally glance at the orange-haired host. These efforts were so tiring, yet Ciel thought that if he didn't keep this up, the situation would become much more awkward.

At the end of the session, Ciel waited until Joker was gonem before he left his seat and went to talk to Ash about something that had been bugging him all week.

"Ash," he said, "The other night, I ran into somebody who looked a lot like you…"

The boy watched as Ash seemed to flinch in realisation, as if he already knew what Ciel was going to say.

"She called me 'unclean' or something like that. It's not the first time she's done that either. I think I may have seen her at the ball too."

The white-haired one heaved a long sigh. "That girl would be Angela. She's my twin sister."

Ciel didn't know if he'd heart rightly. "Your…sister?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"This is the first time I've heard of this," mused Ciel with surprise.

"I don't particularly enjoy talking about her. We have a…_strained_ relationship, at best." He smiled at Ciel despite the distress in his voice. "Don't pay heed to her though, her words are always unkind, and they are even more so when directed at those who know her best."

The earl wasn't sure what to say now, but he didn't like the uneasiness that was so evident in Ash's expressions and words. He tried his best, though the words that came out didn't sound comforting in the least.

"If you dislike it, then why don't you do something about it?"

Ash's lavender eyes widened at the abrupt reply, and Ciel instantly went red. He hastily apologised excused himself from the room, slamming the door behind himself.

.

It was quite plain to see that something was bothering Ash. Sebastian had seen all the warning signs while the Host Club was in session. They waited until Ciel's footsteps faded before they began their conversation, Ash standing by the door and Sebastian at the opposite wall.

"I suppose you've heard the rumours," said Ash bitterly, and he continued when Sebastian didn't answer, "The ones about Beast leaving because of something you did to her."

Sebastian held his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Something I did to her, you say? Tell me, what, exactly, do you think I _did_?"

The other Host Club leader frowned. "Don't do that. Hearing you say it like that makes it sound all the more incriminating."

Sebastian smiled. "Ah, so you do not think I had anything to do with it. Which is certainly the case."

"I have no evidence to indicate that you are at fault, nor do I have evidence to indicate that you aren't." he inhaled and exhaled as if it was a chore, "However, I do know that even you would not stoop to that level. And if you did, nobody would know about it anyway."

"My, I've been hearing such flattering words from everyone as of late," chuckled Sebastian. He slowly strode closer to Ash, who in turn responded by taking a few steps backward, attempting to keep his distance, until Sebastian had him backed into a wall. He stood there, dead silent and unflinching as Sebastian's face drew nearer, claret eyes gleaming.

The black-haired one leaned closer to Ash's ear and softly whispered, "Perhaps Ciel is right. You should do something about that sister of yours. She always manages to provoke you and leave you in a terrible mood."

He drew away again, so that they were face-to-face. "Don't allow yourself to be manipulated so easily, Ash. You are better than that."

Ash did not move from the wall as Sebastian left the clubroom.

.

.

.

'Strange' wasn't the right word for it. 'Surreal' would be more fitting, even 'unbelievable'. Un-_fucking_-believable. This was the first time Claude had set foot in his suite in a long time – he hadn't done so since that one night when Alois decided to finally pour his heart out to him. He figured that Claude wasn't so disgusted now that he thought Alois had found someone else to chase after.

.

Even though they'd practically grown up with each other, once Claude had an idea in his head, getting anything else through to him was as futile as talking to a brick wall. He was a bit like his father, in that sense. Professor Faustus was a learned man, his obsessive nature allowed him to engross himself in academia and earned him many accolades. His wife, on the other hand, was a sociable but hardheaded career woman. She had studied business alongside Alois' father, the founder of Trancy Securities. Because her husband spent the bulk of his time immersed in his studies, Mrs. Faustus often visited Alois' family, with the young Claude in tow. He was supposed to be a role model for Alois, like an older brother. He had grown up always admiring Claude, though the older boy seemed to have inherited his father's obsessive tendencies.

He remembered it quite clearly, that cloudy morning late last year. Claude had come to stay with Alois for the day, and he told the boy about a dream he'd had. In it, a beautiful young man had appeared before him – his features were delicate, ethereal. His hair was a dull grey colour yet it was soft to touch. And his eyes, they were a deep, deep blue, the kind of blue one could get lost in.

He remembered looking into a mirror. He cursed his gold locks, and his turquoise eyes that resembled shallow waters rather than the depths of the ocean. He cursed all the more when Claude finally found a real person who fit this description, one Ciel Phantomhive, and found out everything there was to know about him.

.

…Well, _almost_ everything.

.

"I wish you wouldn't drag me around like this all the time," said Claude, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with a cloth he'd taken from his pocket. "First dragging me to this school, then dragging me along while you go after this Skye girl."

Alois waved his hand at him nonchalantly and reclined on his bed. "Don't worry, Claude. I'm not gonna screw around long. Once you help me with Skye, you can go back to stalking your precious Ciel Phantomhive."

"Must you use the word 'stalk'?"

"You're trying to find out where he is – that's fucking stalking to me."

Claude grunted in disapproval, but accepted the task anyway. Alois shoved a bag of gifts into the older student's hands. This was his job for the next few days. After that, they'd finish the plan with a spectacular number that would have Skye swooning.

The bespectacled one exited after receiving his mission, and once he was long gone, Alois reached for a small box under his bed and opened the lid. He sifted through the contents – a pile of photographs of Skye Barnett, taken using his mobile phone; several notes scribbled onto a piece of paper concerning her height, weight and other various measurements, stolen from the nurse's office; a printout of her student profile from the academy's database, taken with ease using his connections; a long blonde wig, at which he snickered; and hidden away at the bottom of it all was a photograph he'd acquired, after parting with £3,000 at a silly auction, of a slumbering Ciel Phantomhive. Alois couldn't help the devilish smile that appeared on his lips.

"Oh, Claude, if you only knew."

.

.

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**A/N:** Alois you sly bastard! So this chapter turned out to be longer than I thought it'd be…no complaints though. Hopefully no complaints from you readers either. P: *prepares for bombardment of comments from Joker-sympathisers* Gosh, it was such a mission to write that confession. Tbh I actually drew inspiration from a confession I experienced irl (and I turned it down in a similar way to Ciel too -_-). Ah well, you gave it your all, Joker. We can only do our best.

Oh, and here's something we haven't done in a while!

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**This Lesson's Playlist:**

Dir en grey – _Raison d'etre_

Bruno Mars – _Runaway Baby_

Miyavi – _Boku wa Shitteru_

G-Dragon – _Heartbreaker_


	23. Lesson Twenty One

Lesson Twenty-One: To Kill a Mockingbird (or rather, a Robin)

.

Ciel had just returned from dinner downstairs at the mixed-gender hall of residence. He shed his female attire, including his long wig, and prepared himself to finish off his algebra homework and to read through his company's latest financial report. Later he would have to borrow some old textbooks and notes from Sebastian, as Joker was currently unapproachable. Things would be awkward with him for at least another few days, Ciel guessed.

Well, that was that. There was nothing like planning out one's night to maximise productivity.

The young earl got as far as opening his notebook before he was interrupted by a knock on his door. He huffed. There were only a handful of people who'd pay a visit to him at this time of night, and none of them were all that welcome. Ciel took a quick look into the peephole, sighed again, and went to put his wig back on.

.

The door opened just a little and gold eyes met with one blue one.

"Hello, Claude," Skye mumbled shyly. "Can I help you with something?"

Claude's face was expressionless. He surveyed the girl before him with puzzlement. What was so great about this girl, that Alois would suddenly go after her and lose all interest in Claude? It was only earlier this year that he had come out and told Claude he meant the world to him, a sniveling, sobbing wreck. It had been pitiful to behold. And now, Alois dedicated practically all his time to catching this girl he had seen twice and formally met only once. Really though, there was no point in questioning what went on in that boy's head. One would only become as mad as Alois himself. Claude hid a sneer from Skye as he reached into the bag he carried and extracted a small parcel.

"A gift for you, from Master Alois." he said with little emotion as he handed Skye the parcel. She accepted it politely, with both hands, before he offhandedly bid her goodnight, and went on his way.

.

He sat on the floor, next to the door to his balcony, staring intently at the parcel. For a moment, Ciel considered throwing it away, or giving it to someone who actually cared. On the other hand, given that the present was from that psycho kid Alois, he thought perhaps it'd be a good idea calling the bomb squad over to collect it. Despite these thoughts, the childlike urge to open any and all nicely wrapped items was too overwhelming, and before he could do anything else, Ciel found himself ripping away at the paper and ribbon as if it was his first Christmas.

Inside the parcel was a box of chocolates, and underneath that box was – Ciel lifted the lid to see – a pair of handcuffs, upholstered with leopard print material. How very… lewd. And, as if by fate or by happy coincidence, at the precise moment that he lifted the handcuffs out of the wrapping paper, there was a light knocking on his balcony door. Sebastian.

His neighbour peered into Ciel's room through the glass nosily, pointing at the handcuffs the earl was holding. "I did not think my little master was _that_ type of master," he said, voice muffled by the pane of glass between them.

Ciel tossed the cuffs to the ground and stood to his feet, cheeks burning. "Th-they were from Alois!"

"Yes, I'm sure,"

The grey-haired boy reached for the curtain, and grumpily drew it, so he could no longer see Sebastian. He turned around, crossed his arms, and harrumphed. What nerve.

Then, he heard a click, and the _swish_ of his curtain being opened, and suddenly his skin met the cool autumn breeze. He spun on his heel only to come face-to-face with his neighbour.

Sebastian smiled down at him. "In the future, always make sure your door is locked before putting on such a display."

He pouted. There was no winning with this guy.

"Now, the reason I have come today is to give you these," he placed a small pile of books onto the table next to him. "They are the notes I took over the years during my Economics classes. I figured you would not want to borrow notes from Joker for a while."

Ciel's blush returned. "H-how did you…were you _eavesdropping_?"

Sebastian's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Eavesdropping? When? Did Joker say something to you?"

The earl didn't think his cheeks could get any redder. "Then you didn't know?"

His neighbour chuckled and patted his grey hair gently. "Yes, I knew. He approached me before he talked to you."

"And you didn't stop him?" Ciel cried in disbelief.

"Was I supposed to?"

"Well…no…but…" embarrassed and frustrated with his answer, Ciel steered the conversation in another direction. "What does he think he's doing, going to you first? Asking for permission? What are you, my parent or something?"

The red-eyed one looked pensive. "Quite the contrary. It appeared that he considered me his main rival, if anything. He even warned me to stay away from you."

Ciel snorted. "His rival? You?"

For a second, Ciel thought he noticed Sebastian bristling up, but it was probably just the cold breeze blowing in. He moved past his guest and closed the balcony door. "Anyway," he said, "Claude just delivered this to me. He said it was from Alois." He pointed at the carelessly unwrapped parcel on the ground.

"I see," muttered Sebastian as he knelt to the floor. He caught sight of something, and removed the wrapping paper and showed it to Ciel. "It seems he left you a note."

He read the message scrawled hurriedly on the wrapping paper – _Please be mine._

The boy scrunched his nose.

"My little master is awfully popular, isn't he?" Sebastian laughed softly.

.

.

And so it carried on for several weeks. Around the same time, at least once a week, Ciel would hear a knock on his door. He'd open it, and Claude would be standing there rigidly with a parcel from Alois to deliver. Each time, he would call Sebastian over, in case there was something dangerous in the parcel. They'd open the packages together and decide how best to dispose of them. The gifts varied in value and propriety – so far, Ciel had received flowers, jewelry, cakes, confectionery, lingerie, and a couple of adult novelties. Needless to say, the latter items were always the first things to find their way into one of the campus trashcans.

In addition to the gifts, Alois had been more or less stalking Skye, incessantly asking her out to lunch or afternoon tea. When Ciel confided in his aunt about this matter, she only encouraged him to keep going, as having a boyfriend would help his cover. This was not the answer he wanted to hear.

To top it all off, every time he was in Alois' company he managed to bump into Joker. As if things weren't awkward enough. The orange-haired one would always look away, each time becoming more embarrassed than before. And it wasn't just Joker; even Sebastian seemed a little uncomfortable with Skye's new 'boyfriend'. Apparently it was such a big thing, even students he didn't know were talking about it. Ciel's clients had gossiped about it on more than one occasion, often while Sebastian was there, too. He never said a word about it to Ciel though – all he'd do was sigh.

Despite Alois' indecent taste in gifts and loud, vulgar mannerisms, he was surprisingly tender and subdued when he and Skye went on their little 'dates'. He apologised for being so over-the-top at the murder mystery dinner, and explained that he realised that this was not the way to win a girl's heart. He told her he'd make efforts to treat her better and make her feel like a woman (at this, Ciel choked on his drink and had to stop himself from shooting it out his nose).

The boy had even confessed his fears to Ciel, a gesture that moved him, if only a tiny bit. The blonde had said that he was worried about his childhood friend, Claude. Recently it looked like Claude was becoming distant. Alois was concerned that Claude may have developed feelings for Skye too. Ciel swallowed nervously.

"But don't worry, even if there's an army of guys lusting after you, I'll fend them all off." Alois had said, his turquoise eyes twinkling.

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.

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Today's parcel was going to be the last and most crucial, Alois had told Claude. It was the present that determined the fate of his relationship with Skye, so the older one was ordered to take great care delivering it.

As he sauntered down the hallway of the mixed-gender hall of residence, Claude brainstormed all the things he could be doing now instead of running around for that Trancy brat. There were fifty things in total – they'd all accumulated over the last few weeks, since Alois originally planned for this gift giving act to only last a few days. Of all these tasks, the most prominent one was obvious: to gather more information about Ciel Phantomhive. It was frustrating.

The earl wasn't an obscure figure; his legacy was known to all, and not just here, but all over the world. However, he was a black hole for media coverage – his exact activities, his current whereabouts, all these were kept away from the public eye. Though it seemed that Claude knew many unpublicised things about the earl – his lineage, his achievements, and the kidnapping, he didn't even know what the earl's favourite food was. This was unacceptable. Playing slave for Alois was detracting from Claude's precious research time. On the other hand, just yesterday he'd found a very interesting, very rare piece of information; Earl Phantomhive underwent much suffering in the period after his parents' deaths, and he carried scars on his body to show for it – namely a brand left by his kidnappers. Claude licked his lips at the mental image.

This was how he'd spent the last few years – tracking down this elusive young noble. Was it an unhealthy obsession? Possibly. But Claude didn't mind. The feeling of triumph after finding one rare piece of information was irreplaceable. Claude thought, considering how much he'd toiled to know more about Ciel, even if he was able to catch a fleeting glimpse of the boy, his life would be complete.

He delivered the gift to Skye as usual. It was a bouquet of flowers, a small gift box, and an envelope. She accepted them shyly as usual. Something in the way she looked away bashfully reminded Claude of Ciel Phantomhive. He laughed to himself as he returned to his room.

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Ciel waited for the faint tapping against his balcony door – Sebastian's knock – before he opened the latest parcel from Alois Trancy. He invited his neighbour, who had become a frequent guest since he began receiving these presents, to sit with him at the table where the gift lay. Although Sebastian seemed uneasy each time, and barely said anything, the earl felt safer with him in the room.

Without a word, his small hands lifted the lid of the gift box. They both peered inside, equally curious.

The box's contents sparkled – a set of jewel encrusted earrings, with a matching necklace. It was definitely the most expensive-looking gift he'd received from Alois so far. Ciel wasn't sure what to make of it. Everything was becoming very serious, very quickly. Should he have been worried about that boy's fascination with Skye?

Sebastian inspected the jewelry, as well as the bouquet and the envelope that Ciel had been too paranoid to open himself.

The card inside was an invitation to dinner at a restaurant off-campus. Alois had specifically asked Skye to wear the jewelry that he'd bought her, and to meet him at the main gate at half-past seven on Friday evening. At the bottom of the letter, the boy had hurriedly scrawled additional instructions for Skye to wear an evening dress that would match the jewelry nicely.

Ciel groaned and hit his forehead on the table. How tedious it was to play along with this boy's whims.

"This is stupid, Sebastian." he said, head still in contact with the table. "I want to stop."

His neighbour chuckled. "Indeed, it does seem quite tiresome. But Alois Trancy has gone to such trouble to prepare all this for you, it would only be proper for you to indulge him, even if it is just this once."

The grey-haired boy sat up and folded his arms. "Just this once," he mimicked dryly. "I've been going on dates with this creep for weeks now!"

Sebastian didn't continue the conversation. Instead, he took his phone from his pocket and began typing.

"What are you doing?" demanded Ciel, "It's rude to start using your phone in the middle of a conversation."

The older of the two looked up and smiled. "You must excuse me, my little master. I am just arranging an appointment with the tailor. We can't have you wearing an old dress to your dinner date."

Ciel stuck his bottom lip out. "Why not go ahead and arrange hair and makeup too, then?"

"Actually," said Sebastian, "I shall be assigning that job to Grell."

.

.

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"I don't get it! Why do _I_ have to be the one prettying you up for your romantic fling? It's not fair~!"

Ciel winced as Grell dragged the eyeliner across his eyelid just a little too roughly. Everyone knew this red-haired idiot was a green-eyed monster when it came to seeing someone else dressing up and doing fancy things – was Sebastian seeking some kind of revenge when he brought Grell in to do his hair and makeup? Moreover, what was he doing in such an absurd situation, in the first place?

"You wanna trade places? Be my guest." Ciel said bitterly.

"Now, now," Sebastian's smooth voice cooed, "One must be content with one's lot in life,"

The earl scowled. "Even if 'one's lot in life' involves dressing up as a girl and pretending to be some annoying brat's girlfriend?"

"Of course."

Ciel slumped over in his seat. "Why do I even bother…?"

While Grell continued to groom him, Sebastian hovered about in the background, making the final adjustments to the cocktail dress they'd bought earlier today. Because Ciel was so uncomfortable about seeing a tailor to get a dress custom-made, the three of them spent the afternoon browsing various boutiques for a dress instead. From the start, Ciel was very specific about his conditions; the dress could not be above the knee; it was not to be tight fitting or strapless; it was to be a modest colour – none of that leopard print or fluorescent pink girls wore so much these days. These conditions more or less excluded the bulk of the dresses that caught Grell's eye.

After several hours of sifting through mountains of dresses, most of which Ciel deemed to be hideous, the three ended up in a tiny, no-name boutique on the other side of town. Though Sebastian was ever-patient, Grell was full of complaints.

"Can't you hurry up and choose a dress already?" he stomped his foot angrily. "I don't have all day."

"Quiet, you." Ciel snapped back. "No one _asked_ you to come along."

"I came along 'cos I thought you'd choose something fabulous! Like that little Versace number we saw back there…"

Ciel gave the redhead a sour look. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't like that glittery red _thing_ with the thigh-high split that went _right down the centre_ and the neckline that plunged to _belly button_ level."

Grell made a whining sound and stomped his feet again.

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt, but I believe I may have found a suitable dress."

Ciel and Grell turned their heads to see Sebastian emerge from behind a cluttered garment rack, holding a simple dark blue cocktail dress in his hands. Ciel took it from him for inspection; it certainly met his conditions – the pleated A-line skirt was just at knee-length and the bodice had short, puffy sleeves. It was perfect. Well… as perfect as a cocktail dress could be for a teenaged boy.

.

.

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He stole a quick glance at Sebastian through the mirror. The Host Club leader was sitting at the foot of the bed, hunched over the dress, onto which he was now sewing subtle black lace trim and a few diamantes, to match the jewelry that Alois had instructed Ciel to wear. In applying such details, Sebastian looked quietly content. Somehow it brought a smile to the boy's face, seeing his upperclassman this way.

Grell grabbed his chin roughly. "Look straight ahead," he commanded grumpily and proceeded to dab some pastel pink gloss onto the boy's lips.

Once that was done, it was only a matter of minutes before Sebastian announced the completion of the dress. Ciel wondered, if a girl were to have this dress presented to her by Sebastian, would her heart flutter the way his heart was right now?

Wait, why on earth was his heart fluttering?

Ciel wanted to slap himself for thinking such things. There was no way his heart would be aflutter over something like this. He snatched the dress from Sebastian and went into his ensuite to change.

.

Grell sighed as Ciel slammed the door of his bathroom. "Seriously, that kid can be _such_ a pain~!"

The black-haired one smiled. "Yes, but there would not have been a better makeup artist for us to call upon."

"Ooh, Sebastian~" giggled the redhead, "You always know just what to say~!"

Just at that moment, the two hosts heard the clatter of objects falling to the floor. The noise came from the bathroom. Shortly afterward, a string of curses could be heard too.

Sebastian went to the door and pressed his ear against it. "Did something happen, little master?"

"The zipper's stuck," was Ciel's muffled complaint.

He laughed quietly and let himself into the bathroom. "Allow me to help."

Ciel looked startled to see him, and turned his back away from him as soon as he stepped into the bathroom. This would be a problem for Sebastian, as the zipper was on the back of the dress.

The black-haired one folded his arms. "It is not possible for me to assist you with the zip when you will not even let me see it, little master." He went forward and placed a hand on each of the younger one's shoulders, and turned him around with much difficulty.

"No, stop, you idiot! I don't need your help!" Ciel protested, wriggling out of Sebastian's grip and covering one part of his bare back awkwardly with his hand.

"I fail to see what the fuss is all about. We are all men here."

"Stop it!"

Sebastian succeeded in removing Ciel's hand from his back, but he froze when he caught a glimpse of something he probably should not have seen – something red and pink, blistering, and ugly. The boy's body jerked away from him.

"Are you going to zip it up or not?" His words were demanding, but he spoke quietly, as if he'd been humiliated. His head was lowered.

The older one cleared his throat and deftly freed the zipper from the lace that it had been caught on, and zipped the dress up in haste. He bowed slightly, though the boy still had his back turned to him. "My apologies for the wait. Do come out when you are ready."

It would take a further minute or so before Ciel would be able to come out and show Grell and Sebastian how he looked. First, he had to blink away the tears that threatened to spill out, or else his eye makeup would be ruined.

.

.

.

He re-read the invitation to make sure he was heading to the right location to meet with Alois. The fewer people who saw him in this dress, the better. Ciel put aside the embarrassment of the incident with Sebastian earlier, after all, he would be subject to even more embarrassment tonight, by the looks of it. He just had was make it through tonight, then he could go back to his room and continue with his semi-normal life.

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Just make it through this one night, that was all he had to do.

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He made it to the main courtyard. Alois would be waiting at the front gate with a car ready, he guessed. Nobody would be loitering around here in the middle of the night, right?

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"Skye,"

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He stopped upon hearing his alias being called out. The voice was one he had heard before, but this was the first time it had called him so directly.

Claude approached him, the scant lighting creating shadows over most of his face. "Skye, you must come with me."

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.

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* * *

A/N: I'm back now, after yet another long and announced absence! I had been working my butt off to save for my holiday to Japan, which I have recently returned from. It was fun, but I didn't bring my laptop so I couldn't work on PHSHC…

Thanks to everyone who reviewed/favourited/etc, even though I'm such a useless updater…

Next Lesson is all typed up and ready to go though (I was _that_ inspired!) so expect to see it very soon!

Don't forget to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Are my writing skills getting rusty after not writing for so long?

On a side note, how many other Kuro schoolfic authors are laughing their asses off because of the new manga arc? Loving it. xD


	24. Lesson Twenty Two

**Warning**: Please, please, _please_ mentally prepare yourself for the potentially traumatic contents of this chapter. That is all.

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Lesson Twenty-Two: To Kill a Mockingbird (or rather, a Robin), Part Two

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Ciel had been avoiding him, that much was clear. His response to Joker's confession was worse than Joker had ever anticipated. He really hadn't meant to scare him or make him feel uncomfortable; he only wanted to get his feelings across. Perhaps all those issues he had overlooked were a bigger issue than he first thought. Perhaps Ciel was disgusted, having received a love confession from another man, and perhaps he never wanted to talk to him again. Perhaps Joker had done something terribly, terribly wrong.

It was on a cloudy evening that he'd been pondering these things, alone in the clubroom. He was sick of the confines of his suite – since he poured his heart out to Ciel and had been rejected, he spent most of his time there. The clubroom was a pleasant change of scenery.

"Night is falling. Shall I turn the lights on for you?"

Joker's eyes darted towards the door. There was Sebastian, looking as though he'd been standing there the whole time.

"N-no, thanks." he said briefly, and then he remembered what the Host Club leader had said to him before all this happened. Those words he thought he didn't need to hear – words that promised the comfort of someone to confide in. "Do you have a moment? I think I gotta make use of that listening ear you offered me."

Sebastian smiled kindly and sat down next to him.

"I don't know what to do now – I really loved him."

"Did you?" challenged Sebastian. "You know 'love' is a very strong word."

The comment had ruffed Joker's feathers. This wasn't at all comforting. "I _did_ love him," he said tersely, "Even Beast noticed it.'"

A soft laugh escaped Sebastian's lips. "Beast noticed it, did she? It pains me to tell you, but women have a knack for noticing things like that, even if such things are not there."

"So you're telling me I don't love him," said the younger one flatly.

"No, not exactly. I am simply unsure if you have always loved him, or if you started to love him only once Beast suggested to you that you may be in love."

Joker looked puzzled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then consider this," said Sebastian, "Prior to your talk with Beast, what thoughts would go through your head when you thought about Ciel?"

It was not exactly the subtlest question. Joker could feel his cheeks going red. He coughed uncomfortably as he took it in. At length, he managed to stutter a reply, "I wanted to help him…and make sure he was happy…I wanted to…be the one to come to his rescue if he was in trouble."

"Why?" Sebastian asked, so quickly Joker wasn't sure if he'd heard right.

"Well…because…because I want…to see him smile."

Sebastian didn't hesitate to ask further. "And what is so wonderful about Ciel Phantomhive's smile?"

Joker stood up from his seat. "You've seen it, haven't you?" he nearly screamed. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen – even the faintest smile from him can make a room light up! I've never seen anything else like it! No matter what, I _have_ to make that smile mine!"

.

Then, silence.

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His upperclassman gave him a gentle look. "Did you hear what you just said?"

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He swallowed.

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"If I may be frank, what you feel for Ciel sounds more like obsession rather than love."

He didn't reply, but he couldn't bring himself to disagree. He sounded like a fanatic just then, like a possessive, crazed fanboy. He'd stooped that low, and didn't even notice. No, he even mistook it for _love_. The realisation turned into a sharp pain. His chest ached. It was hard to breathe.

"Obsession is a dangerous thing, Joker. It can lead people to do things they should not do. If that is the case, then perhaps it would be best for you not to take any further action. If some day you do happen to fall in love, then so be it, but for now, I think you will understand why I ask that you keep a reasonable distance from Ciel."

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Sebastian's simple but harsh words stung his ears, even now, when they were but a recollection. It broke Joker's heart to have to listen to them, but deep down he knew Sebastian was right, at least to some degree. Though it was hard to accept, for now, it was best to give Ciel a little space. That way, both of them could sort out whatever was going on in their heads, and Joker could work on becoming someone from whom Ciel would not turn his head away in disgust.

He decided to take a walk through the courtyard, since he had stayed indoors for so long. It was already dark now, the temperature had dropped considerably, and it was dinnertime, so he did not expect there to be too many other students wandering about. Still, wanting to be alone, he went through the back passage of the male students' hall of residence, accessible through the first floor, which bypassed the ground floor reception and wound down a few flights of stairs, then through a hallway that led out to the courtyard. On his way down the steps, however, he heard the footsteps and voices of two people.

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"Where are you taking me? Is Alois waiting for me here?"

"Hn."

"But this is the boys-only hall… I… I might get in trouble if someone sees me."

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They were, unmistakably, the voices of Ciel and Claude. Joker vaguely remembered Ciel mentioning to the Host Club that Skye had a date with Alois scheduled tonight. Why was he with Claude though? Where was Alois? A voice in the back of his head was telling him to ignore it all and keep walking – _don't meddle in Ciel's affairs. You're meant to be keeping your distance, remember? _Still, he couldn't help but think that something wasn't quite right. He quietly moved closer to the door lest his presence be discovered, and strained his ears to listen.

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The footsteps stopped.

"What's the matter?" that was Claude.

"I don't think I want to go," Ciel said hesitantly.

There was a pause, then Claude said quite sternly, "Hurry up."

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Joker slid out of the back passage and hid around the corner in the hallway of the first floor. He watched as Ciel, primped and preened (no doubt by Grell) for his supposed date, was dragged roughly out the back passage by Claude.

"Hey, stop it, it hurts," Ciel complained as he struggled, but Claude's grip did not relent as he forced the boy down the hallway.

He saw them stop at the door to one of the suites – he wasn't sure whose it was – and saw Claude unlock the door. Ciel refused to enter, but Claude violently tugged his wrist again, pulling him inside. Yelping, Ciel whipped his head around, and his horrified gaze locked onto Joker's for a fraction of a second, just as he disappeared into the room and the door slammed shut.

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What was going on? Was Alois behind this?

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He hastily pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Alois' number. If that little rat was planning something, he had to be stopped. He ran down the steps to the ground floor, phone still ringing, and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Alois in the lobby, just about to leave.

"Alois!" cried Joker.

The blonde boy turned around. "Oh, Joker," he said, none too thrilled to see him. "You okay? You look like you saw a ghost or something."

"You're not on the first floor…" Joker puffed, his breathing heavy from panic and exertion.

"No, I'm going to meet Skye at the front gate. We're going to dinner."

"Shit." Joker spat. He ended the call on his phone and immediately dialed another number as he ran out the door. Sebastian. He needed to tell Sebastian.

Alois ran out after him. "Wait! Did something happen to Skye?"

The ginger-haired one didn't slow down as he yelled back, "Basically, yes."

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_Alois had been a wreck for the longest time after he'd told Claude how he felt. That bastard had left him crying on the floor of his bedroom, pitiful, like a bug. He felt even more crushed when Claude revealed to him that the one who'd stolen his heart was someone he'd never seen before, let alone met._

_From that day, Alois swore he would get back at Claude for breaking his heart, and at Ciel Phantomhive for stealing Claude from him. He would serve his own justice. He kept track of what Claude found out about Ciel, and learned even more, for although Claude had the flair for research that Professor Faustus had, Alois was a natural when it came to socialising. As Claude became engrossed in research and grew more distant from his mother, Alois took the opportunity to spend more time with her. He would pay surprise visits, just to say hello and have a quick chat. They would talk about many things, and Mrs. Faustus found him such a good conversationalist, soon enough she was inviting him to teas with her peers. He wasn't too enthused about these 'teas', since they mostly involved alcohol rather than tea, and copious amounts of gossip he didn't care about. No, he was not interested in them in the least, save for the one that Baroness Angelina Barnett attended._

_While gossiping over nibbles and glasses of wine, the baroness happened to mention in passing that she was sending her nephew – Ciel Phantomhive – to an academy to study. After she'd had a few more glasses of wine, Alois managed to get an answer from her._

"_Stoneleigh Park," she whispered in his ear._

_Of course, he knew better than to think they would enroll him simply as 'Ciel Phantomhive', especially due to all the controversy surrounding that name from all those years ago. With a tip from yet another acquaintance, one Lord Aleister Chamber (the Viscount of Druitt or something like that), whom he'd met at one of Mrs. Faustus' drunken tea parties, he was able to enter Stoneleigh Park Academy's student database, typically off-limits to unauthorised people. It didn't take long before he found him, Ciel Phantomhive, or rather, Skye Barnett. What a boring alias._

_It could not have been simpler for him. He suggested a few things to Mrs. Faustus here and there, and before he knew it, she was enrolling Claude at the academy. Alois, too, enrolled at the academy, and both were accepted. Alois made sure to always keep Claude close by, so he could monitor what information Claude found out about Ciel. Under no circumstances could he know that Ciel was attending the same academy posing as a female student. The last thing he had to do was confirm that Skye was indeed Ciel Phantomhive, in case the baroness hadn't told him the truth. _

_That proved to be easy too – by merely putting on a long wig and a skirt, he was able to infiltrate one of the events held by the Host Club, whose newest member happened to be named Ciel. Though he didn't have a chance to see him in person, Alois joined in the auction for Ciel's photograph. That was all he needed. _

_However despite his careful planning, he did slip up a few times – it had been a particularly awful day. Claude refused to speak to him or even look at him. He was so upset, when he overheard a group of girls ranting and raving about Skye Barnett, he could not help but give them Skye's student profile. Sure, the information was not completely true, and sure, he wasn't yet certain that Skye was really Ciel, but he did not expect that same group of girls to approach him that time when he was with Skye in the café, after he'd confirmed her identity. _

_On top of that, his initial plan proved to be somewhat flawed. By involving a desperate but incompetent former employee of his father's company, he'd almost had his cover blown. Not to mention he did a terrible job of kidnapping Ciel. What sort of kidnapper would simply run around in circles after catching his victim, instead of trying to escape the premises? He was glad the authorities had taken that careless man off his hands. It was a shame though, the effort he'd put into convincing the Viscount of Druitt into holding that murder mystery party had completely gone to waste._

_Still, after he re-thought the steps he needed to take, things went surprisingly well. He was impressed with his own acting; Claude totally thought he was now head-over-heels in love with Skye Barnett. That made it easier for him to order Claude around, seeing as he no longer saw Alois as a jealous little maniac (although he still was – Alois laughed at the notion). All that was left now was to watch this little charade unravel. As long as Claude followed his orders exactly, the result would be spectacular._

_It always hurt more to have something important and then lose it. Yes, it hurt far more than having never had it at all. Claude needed to learn this lesson, and Alois would be the one to teach it to him._

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.

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Getting Skye to follow him was an easier task than he'd anticipated. She was so weak, he could have just picked her up and carried her to his room with little effort. He sighed as he slammed his door shut, and locked it. How tedious it was, that Alois had commanded him to 'prepare' Skye for him. Couldn't he just do that in his own suite? Claude didn't think he should have to defile his own room for that kid and his selfish whims. Nevertheless, as long as he completed this one final task, Alois would leave him alone for good. That was their pact.

He took her by the wrist and pushed her onto the bed, as he was ordered to. Skye let out a yelp, but hardly put up a fight. She probably couldn't see what was going on, with all the lights off. He grabbed the cable ties from his desk and bound her hands, and then tied them to the bed, and used duct tape to cover her mouth, as he was ordered to. Seriously, he hoped Alois would get here soon.

By now, Skye was hyperventilating. He could feel her body temperature rising, and her small palms were starting to sweat. She kicked and squirmed but that only inflicted pain on her bound wrists. It was quite intriguing to witness, truth be told.

The final stage of preparation was the one Claude dreaded most, but the thought of the clingy Alois Trancy never bothering him again, it was far too good to pass up. On top of that, once this had been done, Alois promised he would 'take it from there'. Provided nothing happened between the time he'd finished preparing Skye and the time Alois arrived, there was nothing to worry about.

'All you have to do is take off her dress, don't even bother with her underwear', Alois had reassured him. Still, that offered only a small hint of comfort to him as he turned the girl over so that she was lying face down. Her back was drenched in a cold sweat, and she was trembling, but she'd long since given up on her squirming. Unflinching, Claude pulled down the zipper on her dress. He was about to reach for the fabric scissors Alois had given him (it would be easier to remove 'stubborn clothing' that way, he'd said), when in the dim light, something caught his eye – it was a mark on Skye's back, just under her left shoulder blade.

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…No, it couldn't be.

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He slid the dress off her shoulder and turned on the lamp above his bed. She sobbed through the duct tape over her mouth as he traced his hand around the uneven scar tissue. Claude couldn't believe his eyes – this scar, it was the brand rumoured to have marred the skin of the young Earl Phantomhive. He stared at it for what seemed like forever. Yes, this had to be it. He was sure of it. But what was the brand of Ciel Phantomhive doing on the body of Skye Barnett? Unless…

Claude turned Skye onto her back again. He brushed away the hair that covered her right eye. Sure enough, there was a patch covering it – no doubt to hide a disfigured eye, just like Ciel Phantomhive's. The hand that he'd rested on her knee travelled up, and up, and…

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His eyes widened.

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It was him. It was really him – Ciel Phantomhive.

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A million things ran through his mind in a split second. He found _him_, the one he'd been searching for, the one who ruled his thoughts day and night. He'd been there the whole time, right in front of him. What was he doing here, posing as a female student? How could Claude have missed it? More importantly, did Alois know something all along? After all, he was the one who convinced Claude's mother to enroll him in the academy. How could it be that Alois knew something about Ciel Phantomhive that Claude did not?

Just as quickly as these questions appeared, they were discarded as Claude's hands shakily caressed the flawless bare flesh of the boy he'd seen in his dreams. Here he was, alone with Ciel, who was bound, gagged, and completely at his mercy. Never in all eternity did he think he would ever be in this position. He couldn't care less about Alois' orders now, he couldn't let this opportunity slip his grasp.

Claude leaned in closer, so he could feel Ciel's laborious breathing on his face. The boy shut his eyes so tightly, tears were gathering at the corners. It was a beautiful, perfect sight to behold. He carefully wiped those tears away and whispered in his ear,

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"You're finally mine."

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"No way, no way, this can't be happening," Alois repeated over and over as he trailed after the group Joker had mustered – Sebastian, who had hurried over after receiving the phone call, and Soma and Agni, who they bumped into near the library. They all ran down the hallways of the main building, ending up in the foyer outside the staff offices.

"Hey! No running indoors! This is a violation of the academy rules!" a voice called out. The group spun around to see the vice principal locking his office to leave for the night. He approached them and pulled out a notepad and pencil. "I'm recording all your names." he said sternly.

Sebastian stepped forward and addressed the vice principal, a man much shorter than he, with mousey brown hair and a sparse, almost comical looking moustache. "Mr. Abberline, our deepest apologies, but there is a pressing matter that requires our immediate attention."

Mr. Abberline folded his arms. "What could _possibly_ be so important that you'd break the school rules for it?"

Joker made a low growl from behind gritted teeth. They couldn't afford to waste any time. "Hurry up!" he commanded, and ran off. Soma and Agni followed, and then an exasperated Sebastian.

Before Mr. Abberline could protest, Alois grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along too.

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They rushed to the males' hall of residence and pushed past various students who'd returned from dinner or studying at the library. They headed for the staircase, with Mr. Abberline still in tow, demanding to know just what on earth was happening. Soma and Agni found the residential assistant on duty and persuaded him to follow them too.

"It's over here!" Joker stopped outside Claude's suite. He was panting, but felt far from tired.

The residential assistant was baffled. "Just what are you planning?"

"Please, we need you to unlock this door!" Joker pleaded.

Mr. Abberline harrumphed. "I've had enough of this tomfoolery. What are you kids up to?"

"Please, sir, our friend could be in a dire situation." Sebastian said, his usually calm features overcome by agitation.

"Enough talk already!" Alois barked, snatched the universal card key from the residential assistant's back pocket, and shoved him aside so he could reach the door.

"Hey!"

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As the door unlocked and swung open, their expressions of annoyance and urgency turned into pure shock. They beheld Skye, lying on the bed, tied up and half-undressed, with Claude straddling her.

Mr. Abberline and the residential assistant paled.

"What the _fuck_, Claude!" Alois screamed.

Both Joker and Sebastian ran into the room – Sebastian went to Ciel's side. Joker's fist went flying at Claude's face, and the latter was flung off the bed and onto the floor. He grabbed the bespectacled one and threw him against the wall. Claude was far too shocked to retaliate. He hadn't counted on being discovered by all these people. What happened? Why were they here with Alois? Was he not meant to come here alone?

"That's enough, Joker," a firm hand was placed on his shoulder. Agni. "We should allow the staff to handle this matter."

The ginger-haired one looked to the door just as a couple of security guards entered the room, having been summoned by Mr. Abberline. They brushed past the two students, each taking hold of one of Claude's arms, and led him out. He struggled in their grip.

"What is the meaning of this?"

The vice principal furrowed his brow. "That is a question we should be asking _you_. If you don't mind, I will be having a word with you in my office. Once we have received your statement, you will be taken home."

Claude blinked. "Home?"

"Yes, home. This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated at Stoneleigh Park Academy – you potentially face serious consequences. In your absence we will decide what these consequences will be."

The student fought against the security guards who sequestered him. "This is a mistake! This is all _his_ fault!" he cried, glaring at Alois, who had fallen into a heap on the ground.

"My…fault?" sobbed Alois. "How could you _say_ that! After doing something like _this_ to my girlfriend! Why did you do it Claude? Is it because she looks like that _boy_ you've been _stalking_? Is that it?"

His monologue caught everyone's attention. Who was this boy Claude had been stalking? Surely it couldn't have been…

Alois buried his face in his hands and began wailing even louder. Soma knelt down beside the blonde boy and put an arm around him to try to comfort him. He was really shaken, the poor thing.

Mr. Abberline looked ill. "Stalking…?" he made a note to investigate further.

Claude went bright red with both anger and embarrassment.

Alois continued, choking on his tears. "I know you told me not to tell anyone, Claude, but I'd hate myself for not getting you any help. You need to stop with that sick obsession. It'll _destroy_ you!"

Claude was taken away, kicking, his face twisted in fury. He was screaming curses at Alois. The blonde responded to all this with a discreet triumphant smile. He could see the veins literally bulging out of Claude's temple. It had happened so perfectly. Even though he didn't count on Joker seeing Ciel being taken into Claude's room, it turned out to be so convenient for him – he even managed to gather this small group to bear witness to Claude's undoing. Even the vice principal! Alois wanted to laugh, to dance, to scream his lungs out, to bask in the rush of victory. But he would have to save that later. For now, he was supposed to play the part of the petrified boyfriend.

.

Joker, too, felt his legs give way. He weakly propped himself up against the wall and surveyed the room. Agni was reassuring him everything was okay. Soma was huddling in the doorway, tending to the blubbering wreck that was Alois. Mr. Abberline had followed the guards out, to serve Claude his just desserts. The residential assistant told them to leave soon, and to get Skye to the school nurse. He'd also chased away a few curious students who heard the commotion. On the bed, Sebastian had undone Ciel's restraints and removed the tape from his mouth. Ciel sat close to him, wrapped up in some sheets, shaking uncontrollably. The sheets covering his face rendered his sobs almost inaudible. Almost.

"J-Joker…" he stammered quietly.

The addressed stood to attention. "Yes…?"

Ciel sighed. His voice quivered as he said, "Thank you. For bringing help."

There was a small part of his heart that ached, hearing these words. Joker padded over to his side, and gently patted his head. He told the boy to take care, giving Sebastian a slight nod, before he left the room. As he did so, a frightening thought crept into his head.

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If he had been left to let his obsession grow, would he have ended up just like Claude?

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Bundled up in the sheets he'd almost been sullied upon, Ciel was carried back to his suite in the arms of Sebastian. By rights, he should have gone to the nurse, as the residential assistant had advised, but he was in no mood for any more trouble tonight. He didn't want to talk, or be talked to. He didn't want to see anyone or be seen. He was silently grateful that Sebastian simply did as he was told.

The Host Club leader placed Ciel gently on his own bed and went to draw the curtains. The boy's mind was blank, aside from the great urge to take a shower. Without a word, he slipped into the bathroom, pulling off his wig and his dress. It was all done so mechanically, he couldn't be sure if he was making his body do these things, or if it was acting of its own accord.

When he emerged from the bathroom again, showered and dressed, Ciel couldn't help the waves of discomfort that overcame him. He still felt dirty, like he needed to bathe himself a thousand times before he could feel clean again. He felt ugly, and if he could see his own reflection, he thought he would want to vomit. His tired legs carried him back to his bed, where he sat down lifelessly. Unwanted tears began to fall again. He hated this feeling. All he wanted was to disappear – perhaps then this would all go away.

Sebastian came over and took a seat beside him. "How are you feeling?"

"He…he…"

"Did he do something to you?"

Ciel sobbed. "He… he t-touched me… he said I belonged…to him."

Sebastian sighed. "If it troubles you so, you need not speak of it."

He ignored him, and kept talking through sobs and sniffles, "I wanted to run, to get away… but I couldn't. I… I thought I was going to die…"

His neighbour shuffled just a bit closer, and reached his hand out to him. He was caught by surprise when Ciel practically fell into his arms, weeping like Sebastian had never seen him weep before. He felt warm tears seeping through his shirt.

"You bastard!" cried the earl, hitting Sebastian's chest pathetically. "I was so scared. I called out your name in my head a thousand times. I willed you to come to me. Why'd you take so long?"

The black-haired one wrapped his arms tightly around the boy. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I cannot perform miracles, but I am here now. I am here for you."

"I know," breathed Ciel. "I know."

He stayed there for the longest time, in Sebastian's embrace, crying like a baby. The latter never complained, never said a word. That was fine. He didn't need words right now. His strong embrace, his comforting presence – that was what he needed. Finally regaining his composure, he raised his head from Sebastian's chest. Slowly, with his voice hoarse, he said, "After tonight, I will not acknowledge that I said any of this. And neither will you."

"Of course," replied Sebastian. He knew this was coming. He would have been delusional if he thought a moment like this would last.

Ciel slowly detached himself from Sebastian and crawled under the covers. He turned away and curled himself up into a ball, saying nothing further. Without being told, Sebastian knew what to do. He didn't utter another word to this weary little master of his, who had just barely overcome the shock from the last time he'd been abducted. He reached over and turned off the lights so the boy could get to sleep easier, and remained by the boy's side, keeping watch, patiently waiting for the shallow breathing and troubled looks to vanish, and for a peaceful expression to grace his features.

.

As always, once Ciel awoke the next morning, Sebastian was gone.

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* * *

**A/N**: THE ORDEAL IS FINALLY OVER. Oh god, now I can breathe a sigh of relief. Sorry for putting you readers through that. If I were you I would've like…vomited, or something. :S Yes, I turned Ciel into a whiny, mushy puddle of goo. He's not completely inhuman, you know (and suddenly he reminds me of Mokuba from Yugioh). And yes, Alois is evil…but I personally wanted him to have his revenge on Claude, because in the canon, he was so blinded by love that he didn't even _consider_ revenge...

You know the drill – read, review, tell me you love me or what you want me to improve on, or both. But don't judge me for saying bad things about Claude. I'm entitled to my own opinion and so are you, so let's not argue.

The next few chapters will ease us out of this terrible mess of an arc and into something a little nicer, hopefully. See you in the next Lesson!


	25. Lesson Twenty Three

Lesson Twenty-Three: What to Do Over a Long Weekend

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He had opened the doors to his balcony with the hope that the chilly breeze would wake him up. Instead, he had promptly retreated back to his bed, and wrapped himself up tightly in his blankets, shivering from the cold. It would probably become colder if he left the doors open any longer, not to mention that a layer of dead leaves had begun to form over his floor, having been blown in by the wind. Ciel checked the clock – half past seven in the morning.

Really, there was no need for him to be up at this time. For one, he had once again been exempt from attending classes so he could recover from the trauma he'd experienced a few weeks ago. Again, the school urged Skye to see a counselor or even return home for a while, but all these were refused. He didn't want to miss out on his classes over something like this. He could handle it. It wasn't a problem for him to turn up to class either, since the academy had kept the incident low-key, in order to avoid unnecessary attention from the media.

The academy had informed Aunt Anne of the situation, and they were given the opportunity to press charges if they so desired. Ciel did not think twice about ignoring this proposal; he was sick to death of hearing about that guy. In the end, Claude was expelled from Stoneleigh Park Academy, and was not to be permitted onto the premises under any circumstances. Mme. Red also filed for a restraining order, for peace of mind. Last thing they heard (through aunt Anne's gossip, of course), Claude's mother had taken him overseas for psychiatric assessment.

The rest was up to him, Ciel believed. No counselor could help him get over this fear or these thoughts. He'd learned that already. That was why he forced himself to don his wig and female uniform and attend classes, to study for the end-of-year exams, and to attend the Host Club sessions without fail. If he couldn't pick himself up, nobody else could do it either.

Along with that, he'd been the one to approach Alois, as Skye, and tell him not to see her anymore. Frankly, Ciel had had enough of this boy's overbearing personality. Sure, he had been betrayed by his closest friend, and was probably in almost as much shock as Ciel was, but that was what made the breakup all the more necessary. Since then, he hadn't seen Alois at all, not even on the school grounds. Not that it bothered him in the slightest – in fact he quite liked it this way. The only thing that really did bother him at the moment was the long weekend that was upon him.

With the academy's open day coming up, followed closely by the end of year examinations, regular classes were to be postponed until Tuesday of the next week, so students consequently had a three-day weekend during which they could do whatever they pleased, be it visiting friends or family, or even going on a short holiday. Seldom did anyone opt to stay on campus, but for Ciel, this was inevitable as aunt Anne was away for a few weeks in Belgium with some friends. Before leaving, she made it quite clear to Ciel that he was not to return home, because she'd also sent her staff away for a while, and nobody would be there to look after him. She stressed to him that being home alone wouldn't do at all, especially in light of the recent incidents. At least there would be staff present at the academy.

The earl sighed. This was Aunt Anne's strange way of caring for him, and with her being his legal guardian, there wasn't much he could do but stay away from home as she'd told him. He resigned himself to an uneventful three days, during which he would probably study and review reports. Then he would stare listlessly out the window, wander around campus, or play chess against himself. Perhaps all the above. He twisted his mouth into a bitter smile. It was only at the start of this year that he'd been completely content doing any of these things every day, in the quiet solitude of the club room. It was amusing how things could change so drastically over such a short period of time – now Ciel didn't even want to _think_ about doing these things.

The weekend was already off to a terrible start. It was a cold, cloudy day, and out of habit Ciel had awoken early. He didn't want to stay in his room, but he didn't want to go downstairs to have breakfast either. The easy option, in the end, was to stay put and wait for something – _anything_ – to happen.

Just then, the ringing of his phone pierced through the silence. Ciel scrambled off his bed to answer it. He wasn't even put off by the fact that it was that annoying Indian prince calling. "Soma! How are you? What're you up to today?"

Soma sounded confused when he replied, "Uh… nothing yet. We're just having breakfast at the bistro today. You wanna join?"

"Sure! I'll meet you there. Bye!"

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.

.

"B…bye…" Soma's voice trailed off as he hung up.

Ever since the incident with Claude, Ciel seemed to act differently. Out of his own will, he took no time off classes, and even did twice the amount of study he usually did. He was first to arrive at the café for lunch and always had a table saved for everyone, but even so, he never touched his food. He was always first to dash off to the clubroom to get ready for a Host Club session. Though he still didn't smile or laugh much around them, Soma could tell he constantly wanted to be in their company, so the Indian boy made an even greater effort than before, to invite Ciel to join them no matter what they were doing. Since the earl was so reluctant to open up to anyone, Soma thought this was the least he could do to try to comfort him. However with the upcoming long weekend, leaving Ciel alone was inevitable – most people had planned their weekend already, and Soma just hoped that Ciel had done so too.

"So is he coming?" asked Joker, who sat across from him.

He nodded. "Yeah, he is. Maybe we should wai–"

"So what did you order?" said Ciel as he took a seat at the table.

"Skye! You're here!" exclaimed Soma, almost jumping out of his chair. "That was quick… we haven't actually ordered yet…"

.

When the waitress came to take their order, Ciel asked for just a cup of tea, ignoring the sidelong glances Soma and Joker exchanged. He hadn't been very hungry over the last few days, and whatever he did eat was regurgitated within the hour. To save himself the unpleasant experience, he simply chose not to eat.

As their orders arrived, the three discussed their agendas for the next few days. Soma and Agni were going to go to London for a sightseeing tour, since neither of them had ever been there. His eyes glimmered with excitement as he told Ciel and Joker their schedule, which included visits to all the major tourist attractions and a chance to sample different food as well.

Joker was going home to pay a visit to his father. He also intended to check up on Beast, who didn't have holidays since she now received tuition at home. He had even bought her a small photo frame from the campus gift shop, along with a box of chocolates.

On the other hand, Ciel openly admitted that he had nothing to do. Soma's face immediately turned gloomy.

"Maybe you could hang out with Ash?" he said.

Joker shook his head sadly. "He's visiting his grandmother."

"What about Grell?"

"He got picked up by his friends this morning."

"And Sebastian?"

Ciel leapt out of his chair. "No way!"

His breakfast companions stared at him with wide eyes. He cleared his throat. "Under no circumstances will I be spending my weekend with that guy."

Aside from the Host Club, there were few people Ciel actually knew – Alois, Lau and Ranmao, Dolly. He didn't fancy spending time with them either. That brought him back to square one – alone, and bored.

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He sighed as he dragged his feet all the way back to his suite. Perhaps he shouldn't have gone to breakfast with those two. It made him feel all the more depressed and lonely, knowing everyone was out doing something. It wasn't that he envied them for having fun – really, none of the things they mentioned sounded all that fun to him. He simply wanted to know that someone was there for him.

What was wrong with him lately? He always thought he didn't need anybody else. He was so determined to stand on his own two feet, never relying on anyone else for support.

"Is something the matter, little master?"

Ciel was jolted out of his thoughts. Sebastian was before him – they were standing in front of the taller one's suite. The earl hadn't even realised he had almost reached his own room.

"I'm fine," said Ciel as he tried to push past his neighbour.

Sebastian watched as the boy went to unlock his door. "I am going to spend my weekend at home. If you have nothing else to do, would you care to join me?"

It was said coolly, as though it was an idea that had only just occurred to him. Ciel knew he had to decline, but that didn't stop him from feeling dejected at the offhandedness of the offer. Under _no_ circumstances would he spend time with Sebastian at his house for three whole days. Even if the red-eyed one had proposed the idea with more sincerity or purpose, Ciel would say no. he couldn't let himself resort to going with that jerk in order to have company during the weekend. No. His pride wouldn't allow it.

"O…okay,"

"Splendid!" said Sebastian, smiling widely, "My chauffeur will be at the front gate in an hour or so. Shall I come and fetch you?"

"Uh… sure."

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Once again, Ciel found himself in bed, this time with his head buried under a pillow. What the hell happened back there? He thought he had made up his mind, so why did his words betray him at the last minute? His face felt red from embarrassment. Now he really had no excuse. Since he'd already accepted the invitation, it wouldn't matter whether or not he went – Sebastian would probably torment him in one way or another.

…nevertheless, going along with him was probably not as bad as staying here on his own.

That thought proved to be sufficient persuasion, and he reluctantly slid off his bed and went to his wardrobe. At least he could get away with wearing pants for three days. He picked out a few pairs and tossed them onto the bed, along with several shirts he hadn't worn in what seemed like forever. Perhaps things would turn out just fine after all.

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One hour ticked past in the blink of an eye, and Sebastian was soon knocking on Ciel's door. The two made their way to the gate together, just as a inconspicuous but well-kept black car pulled up there. A man wearing a suit emerged from the driver's seat and went to greet them. Though he was well-dressed and had a gentle demeanour, Ciel couldn't help but be shaken by his appearance – his hair was such a light colour that it almost looked white, though he didn't seem to be much older than Sebastian himself. His skin was patchy and silvery in places, like the scales of a serpent.

The chauffeur bowed and wordlessly took their bags. He then opened the door of the back seat and ushered them both inside, before putting the bags in the trunk and returning to the driver's seat.

"Thank you, Snake," Sebastian said pleasantly, to which the chauffeur nodded and smiled in acknowledgement.

Ciel tried not to make a face. Was the man's name really 'Snake', or was it some derogatory nickname Sebastian had given him? Somehow despite his neighbour being the infernal prick that he was, Ciel didn't think he was the type to belittle anyone so openly. He pondered this and many other things as they drove off.

Though he'd known Sebastian for a while now, and though they lived next door to each other, Ciel didn't know much about him at all. He didn't know where he was from, what he did in his spare time, not even what his parents did for a living. He wondered if he'd learn any of these things during his time at the Michaelis household. Was it okay to even ask?

"You should take off your wig, little master."

Ciel looked over at Sebastian, who sat in the back seat next to him. He didn't realise he had even put it on since it was now so ingrained into his usual daily routine. Carefully, the earl removed the wig from his head and set it in his lap. It was such a pain to keep clean and tidy, he was glad he didn't have such long hair in reality.

The boy straightened up abruptly.

No. There _was_ a time when he'd had long, unkempt hair. Back then, when he was always running, always hiding, everything about him was unkempt, abused, and neglected. It wasn't until he had met _them_ that he was nurtured back to his former state. It was a memory he'd pushed so far into the back of his mind that he'd almost forgotten about it. He shook his head. Best not to think of these things anymore. He had good reason to forget about them after all.

.

Ciel hadn't kept track of how long they'd been driving until they reached a driveway at the end of a small, deserted road. The driveway itself was rather long, and lined with trees whose leaves were tinted red and gold. They stopped at the front of the house, where Mr. Snake allowed them in before going to retrieve their luggage.

As they headed inside, unbeknownst to them, a certain boy had caught sight of them. He jolted to his feet, dropping the gardening tools he was holding, and blinked big green eyes once or twice. Was he going mad?

"That reminds me, Sebastian," began Ciel as they stepped into the foyer, "What do your parents actually do?"

Sebastian looked down at his guest and opened his mouth to speak, when they heard a great _CRASH_. Both of them turned towards the noise to find a girl standing before them, hands in the air and mouth wide open. At her feet, tiny shards of porcelain were littered – evidence of the tableware she dropped just a second ago. Ciel could recognise that wine-coloured hair and those humongous glasses anywhere.

"It's…it's you!" they both cried in unison.

The girl's face lit up. She ran towards Ciel and scooped him up in a hug – one that he did not resist. At that moment, the boy from earlier entered the foyer, with a tall, older man following behind. Seeing Ciel and the girl like that, a wide smile appeared on his face.

"See, Bard! I _told_ you I wasn't seeing things!" he told the older man as they approached the two and unabashedly joined in the embrace.

Sebastian sighed. "Maylene, Bardroy, Finnian! Master Ciel is a guest, please do not smother him like that."

The group hurriedly let go of Ciel, and gave Sebastian a bow before they resumed their work. "We're sorry, Young Master Sebastian." said Maylene, the girl, as she began cleaning up the broken porcelain on the ground. Her voice was raspy and shy, and the familiarity of it warmed Ciel's heart. As he knelt to help her pick up the remains of various plates and cups, he wondered earnestly – what sort of strange coincidence led them all to be reunited here?

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Bardroy, the cook, was always best supervised whilst he performed his duties. Sebastian knew this best, so he joined him in the kitchen to prepare lunch. Entering the kitchen, he found the man sitting on the kitchen bench, smoking as usual.

"Need I remind you again that the kitchen bench is a place for putting your meals, not your posterior." the black-haired one said exasperatedly. Bard grumbled, but hopped off the bench anyway, and bowed slightly.

"Have you come to help again, Young Master Sebastian? Don't trust my superior cooking prowess?" he said haughtily, gathering various ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator.

Sebastian answered with a smile as he got to work preparing the vegetables, and Bard started making the pastry for a simple steak and vegetable pie. The two continued on wordlessly for a moment, before the cook broke the silence.

"What's everyone else doing?"

"Finnian and Maylene are showing Ciel to his room." Sebastian replied casually. Then, after a contemplative pause, he added, "It seems that the three of you have already been acquainted with Ciel Phantomhive?"

Bard shook his head as he dusted flour off his hands. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "I guess you could say that. To be honest though, today was the first time I'd even learnt his name."

"Is that so?"

The cook nodded. "He barely ever spoke a word to us, even though we took care of him for almost nine months. To think that scruffy little runt was actually an earl!"

.

.

"Here you go, Master Phantomhive," said Maylene as she opened the door to the guest room and gave a slight bow. Ciel entered, followed by Finnian, who effortlessly carried Ciel's suitcase over his head, as if it were made of feathers. The earl had been speechless the whole time. Even if he could have brought himself to speak, he didn't know what he would've said anyway. Nostalgia and sentimentality overcame him. Without a doubt, if he hadn't met these three people, he probably would have died.

Finnian set his bags down in a corner of the spacious room. The boy was older than him, though Ciel was almost as tall as he was. However, what he lacked in height he made up for with his otherworldly strength. If the earl didn't know any better, he would've thought Finny was some sort of genetically modified being. He gave Ciel another hug before he bounded out the door to return to his duties. Despite the suffocating death grip one would've expected from someone with Finnian's strength, he was always treated living creatures with care. It had always been his most endearing trait, Ciel remembered.

Once the gardener left, Maylene showed Ciel where the ensuite and wardrobe were, and how to operate the remote-controlled lights and windows. After all that was done, she simply stood there and smiled.

"It's certainly been a long time, Master Phantomhive," she said in her gravelly voice. "You're looking much healthier now, though you haven't aged a day!"

He let out a sigh as he sat down on the bed. "Just say that I haven't grown – no need to put it nicely."

The maid didn't hesitate to sit down right next to him. "Still, we're all glad to see you're doing well, Master Phantomhive."

"You don't have to call me that," grumbled Ciel.

Maylene clasped her hands together. "Oh, but I must! It feels nice to finally be able to call you something."

He relented with a bashful grin. Then, just before a peaceful silence could fill the room, Ciel sat up straight, as if he'd just remembered something. "Maylene," he said hopefully, "If you're working here, then does that mean the master is here too?"

Her smile pushed her glasses up her nose. "No, we don't work for Master Tanaka anymore –

he fell ill and returned to his home country right after you left us. The Michaelis family hired us all shortly afterwards."

The earl's expression dampened. "Is that right? I thought I'd have the chance to thank him."

Maylene gave him a pat on the back, the way she always used to do, and said, "I'm sorry, Master Phantomhive. He was quite fond of you too. I'm sure he knew how much you appreciated him."

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Now, now," said the maid, patting his back again. "The Michaelis house is not bad either. In fact we were all in a bind after Master Tanaka left. It was so sudden we didn't have time to look for other employment. Finny heard the Michaelis family was in need of a gardener, so he applied for the job, but he also mentioned Bard and I, so all three of us ended up being hired by them."

Ciel nodded. "They sound like good people."

"They are indeed."

"What do Sebastian's parents do for a living though? I can't say I've heard of their family before."

Maylene fidgeted a little. "Actually, I think they—"

As she spoke, there was a knock on the door, and without invitation, Finnian popped his head into the room. "Lunch is served!" he chirped and herded the boy back towards the dining room.

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The day carried on rather uneventfully. Ciel and Sebastian ate their lunch in almost complete silence while the servants hovered around, trying to catch glimpses of the young earl. That afternoon, Sebastian gave him a brief tour around the property, and they finished with tea in the drawing room overlooking the garden. Now having had dinner, Ciel sat alone in the guest bedroom, staring out the window. He couldn't help but wonder what the other Host Club members were doing right now, wherever they all were. He imagined them all having a great time without him, the idiots. Nevertheless, it wasn't completely unpleasant to be here in the Michaelis household, reunited with his benefactors.

His lazy train of thought came to an abrupt halt when, in the dim light of the garden outside, he caught a glimpse of Sebastian quietly skulking away. What could that guy be up to at this time of night? Ciel grew curious. After all, each time he'd brought up the subject of Sebastian's family's status and other related topics, he had been conveniently interrupted by someone. On top of that, he couldn't come all the way here and _not_ find out something about the mysterious Sebastian Michaelis. He promptly stood to his feet – the layout of the estate was still fresh in his mind from the tour this afternoon.

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.

It wasn't his intention to pry into someone else's business (at least, not _this_ time), but Bardoy's words from earlier today were most intriguing. Sebastian had kept them in the back of his mind and mulled over them.

.

"_May found Master Phantomhive when she was out shopping for groceries. Apparently she came to his rescue after he'd been caught stealing from the store. When she brought him back to Master Tanaka's home, he was a total mess, and I don't just mean his looks. He was terrified of everything – fire, the dark, loud noises – anything could set him off. He never spoke to us about himself, and he never, ever, let anyone touch him. We never knew his name, or where he came from, or how old he was. _

_...Not that it was a problem or anything. After a month or so, he started to help us around the place – in the garden with Finny, or in the house with May. Not that he was much help, but I guess it's the thought that counts. But even though he began to warm up to us a little, he never entered the kitchen, because I think he hated me turning the stoves on. Probably something to do with his fear of fire._

_Anyway it was just a little while before Master Tanaka returned to Japan, that someone came around looking for him. That red-head baroness Barnett or whatever, she came to the manor and talked to Master Tanaka about the finer details in private. The three of us didn't know anything, except that the kid was going to leave us. _

_That same day, she had packed the few belongings he had collected while he was staying with us, and took him away. We never saw or heard from them again_."

.

How very interesting, thought Sebastian, as he tiptoed down the garden path to his secret meeting place. He couldn't go back to school again without paying a visit to _her_. A smile crept across his face when he imagined her slender form, her sleek black hair, her soft, tender paws. If anybody could set his mind at ease, it would be _her_.

Sebastian reached the spot and sat down at a bench. As always, about three seconds later, he was greeted by a soft mewl. Barely illuminated by the garden lights, the little cat padded toward him and brushed up against his leg. By the looks of it, she had missed him too. He picked the cat up and held her close, stroking her fur and nuzzling her tiny forehead with his nose. This was a rendezvous nobody had ever been privy to, something that only the two of them shared. This was something he always looked forward to whenever he came home, something no one could—

"Ah-_CHOO_!"

He straightened up and his glance darted around the garden. Claret eyes settled upon the silhouette of the young Earl Phantomhive, crouched behind a nearby shrub that was, sadly, not big enough to adequately camouflage him.

"My my, little master, it is most amusing to see you still hiding after such a thunderous sneeze."

Ciel grumbled something under his breath and emerged from his hiding spot. It was all because of his god-damned allergies. "I expected a midnight rendezvous to be much more risqué than _this_."

"Oh, so the little master has experience in these sorts of things?"

Pale cheeks turned pink. "N-no, that's not it…"

"In that case, were you following me in the hopes of getting a _private show_, if you will?"

Pink cheeks turned red. "_HELL_ no! I was just… just… just…"

An expectant gaze.

Ciel sighed, slumped his shoulders. Really, was there any point talking around it? He seldom gave in to Sebastian so easily, but it was far too late at night, and Ciel was much too tired. He motioned to the vacant spot on the bench, beside his upperclassman. "Can I… sit there?"

"You are most welcome to."

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* * *

A/N: I'm back again (again). My most heartfelt thanks and humblest apologies to everyone who has been waiting for my updates! Life has been stingy and not given me much time to write. I've been slowly writing paragraphs on my phone during lunch breaks, scribbling on bits of paper, everything under the sun, and finally I've had the chance to put it all together in this chapter and the one that will follow. I think it's because of these great periods of withdrawal that my chapters are getting longer and ramble-ier.

Anywho, the next Lesson is on its way! As usual, leave me a review with your thoughts/questions, and I'll be sure to try my best to answer!


	26. Lesson Twenty Four

Lesson Twenty-Four: Girls are Scary

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Ciel and Sebastian sat together on the bench, wordlessly. Every now and then Ciel would sneeze or sniffle – it was that damned cat sitting in Sebastian's lap – but he decided to bear with it. He reassured himself that this was still marginally better than lying in the guest bed staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

Eventually, the cat hopped off Sebastian and tottered away under some bushes. Ciel glanced at the Host Club leader out of curiosity, peppered with just a bit of guilt. "Sorry. I guess she didn't like me being the third wheel."

Sebastian chuckled. "Quite the contrary, it looks as though she felt that _she_ was being the third wheel."

Another blush. "D-d-don't joke around like that,"

"As you wish."

"…"

"…"

"Well, since you're not up to anything interesting, I guess I'll go back to my room now."

His upperclassman looked over at him and smiled. It was, Ciel noticed, one of Sebastian's rare warm, amiable smiles – not at all like all the other devious grins and condescending smirks he'd seen. It was a nice change.

"Thank you for keeping me company, little master."

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Maylene gently woke him the next morning to let him know that breakfast would be served in half an hour. He didn't know what it was exactly, but every time he conversed with one of those three servants, he felt something tug at his heart. It made him want to cry, though he'd never allow himself the luxury.

The remainder of the day was spent at a leisurely pace. Ciel volunteered to help Maylene with her chores around the house, an offer that she welcomed – he was promptly given a bucket and mop and was put straight to work. Together, he and the maid managed to clean the lower storey although admittedly, and much to Ciel's frustration, neither of them had done a very good job of it. Ultimately, it was Sebastian who had to step in and supervise the two with their work. The earl wondered if it was always Sebastian who ended up doing all the cleaning in the end.

Later on in the afternoon, Finnian invited Ciel to lend a hand tidying the garden, for the trees had shed their leaves with little regard for where they landed. After having whittled away his morning dusting shelves and mopping floors, a few hours labouring in the garden did not sound too enticing, but Ciel agreed anyway, for old time's sake.

From the way Finnian haphazardly swung his rake around and the way he stopped to talk to any small creature he saw, it was apparent that this seemed less like work to him, and more like a day off. The grey-haired boy grumbled and griped as he picked up after the gardener, but it was difficult not to smile at the boy's enthusiasm for his job. They completed the task just as the sun began to go down, and retreated back inside in time to watch the blush-red sunset whilst sipping the hot chocolate Bard had made for everyone. Even Mr. Snake had slipped in quietly to join them. Ciel settled into the couch in which he sat, listening to the servants chatter away with their young master. If he had been none the wiser, he would've thought they were a family, rather than the young master of the house and his parents' employees.

A casual dinner was served that night – it was about as average as all Bard's other dishes, Ciel recalled. However, their dessert of poached apple drizzled with toffee sauce and hazelnut cookie pieces was truly memorable. Judging from the smug grin on Sebastian's face as Ciel cleared his plate, the boy presumed it was this neighbour of his who prepared it.

"Was dessert to your liking, little master?"

"It was passable," replied Ciel, trying not to give himself away too much.

Sebastian sighed. "Only passable? In that case, perhaps I shan't bother in the future."

The sudden response caused Ciel to rise from his seat. "What do you mean? There's no need to—"

His nervous splutter was cut short by the dining room door swinging open violently, and Mr. Snake marching into the room, looking shaken and somewhat sicklier than usual.

"M-master Sebastian," he started, "There's trouble."

After him, Bardroy hurried in, looking even more panicked than his colleague.

"It's a code _lilac_, sir!"

At that, Sebastian, too, rose from his seat. "That was rather unexpected."

The cook nodded in agreement. "Yes, she's getting clever. She's at the door as we speak."

Surveying the table, and sparing Ciel a brief glance, Sebastian returned his attention to the servants. "This won't do. Clear the table, and make sure you lock the guest room. Master Ciel and I will head to the bunker."

Ciel gulped. "The… bunker?"

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Without paying heed to any of his questions or complaints, Ciel had been shepherded by Sebastian through the dining room's side door, out to what he recognised to be the secondary hallway. About a third of the way down, Finnian awaited them, with a duvet and pillows, and several large cardboard boxes at his feet.

"I'm sorry, Young Master Sebastian!" he said, bowing slightly, "Since it was so unexpected, I didn't have time to prepare the bunker for you."

"That's quite alright, Finny." the black-haired one replied.

The gardener bowed again and opened the small door he stood by. "We'll contact you when the coast is clear."

Craning his neck, Ciel peered in and realised that he was looking into a poky little cleaning cupboard. There was barely any room to stand, so what on earth was Finnian planning to do with all the things at his feet? He watched Sebastian enter the cupboard, and shuffle around a few brooms and mops propped against a side wall. To his bewilderment, there was a tiny parting in the wall that swung open to reveal a short flight of steps. This weekend just kept getting stranger and stranger.

Sebastian backed out again and gently placed a hand on Ciel's shoulder. "After you."

Too puzzled to argue, Ciel simply stepped inside and descended the stairs. Finnian and his upperclassman followed, carrying the boxes with them.

The stairs led to a simple bedroom with white walls and a plain wooden floor, with barely enough room to walk around comfortably in. It contained nothing but the essentials – a small bed, a lamp, a sink, and a toilet tucked away in a cramped little nook, behind a flimsy door that looked like it had been fitted as an afterthought. Ciel watched vacantly as Finnian bowed again and took his leave, returning up the steps and gently closing the door. He distantly heard the sound of the blonde boy rearranging the mops and brooms to cover the wall again, before closing the cupboard door. Sebastian calmly followed up by taking a metal pipe that had been on the ground and sliding it through a pair of fixtures on either side of the door, ensuring that it could not be opened from the outside.

"Sebastian,"

Seemingly oblivious to Ciel's presence, Sebastian unpacked the boxes – full of bedding, bottles of water, some food, and books – and started to make the bed.

"_Sebastian_," pressed Ciel again, "Tell me what the _hell_ is going on!"

The addressed looked up from his work. "It'd be best if you kept your voice down for the time being. We don't know if she may be close by."

"Who is '_she_'?" fumed the boy.

"She is a young lady I once met at a dinner party,"

The earl threw his hands up in exasperation. "Is _that_ all it is? If I'd known it was something this absurd, I would've—"

Sebastian pulled him by the wrist and covered his mouth using his free hand, and dragged him down to crouch behind the bed. All of Ciel's rage dissipated when he heard the muffled screech of the aforementioned young lady.

"WHERE IS HE? I _DEMAND_ TO SEE HIM!"

"As I've told you, Miss," that was Maylene and her raspy voice, "The young master is still away at school. He will not return till the end of the year."

"I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS. HE _NEVER_ COMES OUT TO SEE ME, EVEN WHEN HE'S HOME. HE DOESN'T REPLY TO MY TEXTS OR EMAILS AND HE NEVER RETURNS MY CALLS. I _MUST_ SEE HIM RIGHT NOW."

"I'm sorry, Miss, but he isn't here right now. If you'd return to the sitting room, we may be able to try to contact him for you!"

That statement seemed to appease the ranting girl, if only temporarily. The sound of footsteps passing down the hall was a sign that the two could relax again.

Ciel exhaled. "Oh my god…"

"Indeed."

"What did you do to the poor girl to have her stoop to _this_ level?"

The comment was awarded with a sidelong glance. "_Stoop_, you say?"

The earl cleared this throat and folded his arms. "Well, of course. Any girl who falls for you has stooped unspeakably low by human standards."

Sebastian let out a low chuckle. "I see," he said, sitting up straight, "Then to answer your question, I did naught to that 'poor girl'. As a matter of fact, it was she who walked into me that night at the dinner party, and she happened to drop her glass in the process. I merely helped pick up the shards and clean the wine that'd been spilled, just as any decent person might do."

"And…?"

"And that's all. I'm uncertain how she did it, but somehow, the young lady managed to acquire the address of my family home, as well as my personal contact details. Because she began making these visits of hers, the servants and I saw fit to construct this room for my personal safety."

All of a sudden, Ciel felt just the tiniest twinge of pity for the Host Club leader. It seemed as though Sebastian's good looks and charisma could be both a blessing and a curse. But wait, Ciel thought as he wrinkled his brow, he didn't just say that Sebastian was good-looking, did he? No, never. And besides, Sebastian's stalker problem was none of his concern in the first place – he was simply a bystander.

"What am _I_ doing here then?" he challenged, "I don't have anything to do with this mess, so why do _I_ have to be stuck in this stuffy room with _you_?"

By now, Sebastian had hunched over and was pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He sighed desolately, a sound that was foreign to Ciel's ears. "It is quite the contrary, little master. If she happens to see you here, then you too will be in danger."

Ciel eyed Sebastian doubtfully. "Really…?"

"Yes, little master, really. In the interest of safety I recommend that you remain here – if you happen to venture outside the servants and I may not be able to protect you."

The grey-haired boy shrugged. "What could that girl _possibly_ do to me?"

Sebastian's expression was unfaltering. "She's not the sort of person who'd hesitate to tear a person to shreds, eat them alive, gauge out their eye or steal their soul, amongst other unpleasant things. One cannot put such things past a lady who is capable of swallowing swords and attaining my personal information."

"Why?" was all Ciel could say, still taking in the horrid things Sebastian had just mentioned.

"Because she would be jealous, seeing you with me."

He grumbled. "This isn't the time to be joking around with that B.L. rubbish."

In reply, his red-eyed neighbour merely laughed.

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For the next hour or so, Ciel occupied himself by sifting through the contents of the boxes that Finnian had provided; books, snacks, towels, toiletries. The boy had even thrown in a GameGuy Advance and a few games to play on it, all produced by Funtom, Ciel noticed with amusement.

Judging by how well prepared they were, it seemed that this young lady paid rather frequent visits to the Michaelis household. He spared Sebastian a quick glance; the older boy was not daunted by this situation in the least and was sitting quietly on the bed, reading a book. Ciel had to admit that his neighbour's ability to stay calm and collected was most impressive. The way he leaned back against the headboard of the bed, shoulders relaxed and face serene, one would never have guessed that he was hiding from a murderous stalker girl.

"Won't you sit on the bed, little master? The floor mustn't be all too comfortable." said Sebastian, and then, "It is also rather impolite to stare."

The boy hadn't realised he'd been staring at all. A blush coloured his cheeks, as it always did whenever he was around the older one. He snatched the GameGuy Advance from the box and leapt onto the bed, not daring to look at Sebastian again. To be honest, the ground _was_ beginning to get rather cold.

"How long do you normally have to stay down here?"

"In most cases, the young lady takes her leave after two hours. Often I find myself short of time to finish the books Finnian provides."

That was a relief. Ciel could probably make it through another hour without too much trouble. He shuffled into a more comfortable position on the bed, sitting opposite Sebastian (since it would have been far too awkward to sit right beside him).

Half an hour had passed since Ciel began to play. Every five minutes or so, he'd check his watch. Time seemed to tick by a lot slower now that he was waiting. He had fidgeted and squirmed, sat up, laid down, on his back and on his stomach, all out of anxiety and impatience. Sebastian, on the other hand, was unmoving, until his phone began to vibrate next to him on the bed. Ciel perked up and strained his ears.

"Hello? Yes, Bardroy."

In the dead silence, Bard's voice could be heard quite clearly despite Ciel sitting at the other end of the bed.

"She's not going anywhere, Young Master Sebastian," the cook hissed, "She said she won't leave until you come out to meet her."

Sebastian rubbed his temples with his free hand. "Is that so? Well, then, I suppose it cannot be helped. I shall have to—"

"No, Young Master!" protested Bard, "We can't let you risk your life like that! Finny and May are distracting her right now. We'll just have to wait it out."

"Ah, is that so?"

Ciel didn't like the direction in which this conversation was heading.

"Yes, sir. You and Master Phantomhive have to stay put at least until tomorrow morning. I'll call you again then to update you."

"Thank you, Bardroy. My apologies to you and the others for the inconvenience."

"Don't mention it. You guys just take care of each other, 'kay?"

"Yes, I understand."

With that, Sebastian ended the call.

The earl was quick to object to the plan of action. "What do you mean _tomorrow_ _morning_? I can't _possibly_ be spending the night here! And with somebody like _you_, even! This is a load of crap!"

Sebastian closed the book he'd been reading and sat upright. "Is it such a chore to have to be in a room with me for one night, little master?"

"W-well…" Ciel hesitated. He was caught out by the seriousness with which Sebastian had asked the question. That insufferable jerk always made him tongue-tied. He cleared his throat. "First of all, I don't want to get changed in front of you. And second, there's only one bed."

The older boy smiled. "It would not bother me at all to turn around whilst you change, and to sleep on the floor, if that it what you wish."

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Sure enough, Sebastian had turned around and busied himself with his book in order to let Ciel change into some baggy pyjama pants and a loose-fitting t-shirt, and to take off his silk eye-patch and replace it with a disposable one. Then, as the earl brushed his teeth and washed his face, he prepared a makeshift bed on the floor using the extra comforters and duvets he found in the boxes. Ciel was mildly surprised by the fact that he had done exactly what he said he'd do, and he felt rather guilty as he climbed into bed. The fact that it was so cosy and warm under the covers made him feel worse.

"Now, may I ask that you avert your gaze, little master? I can't imagine that you'd be interested in watching me undress."

Snapping back to reality, Ciel whipped his head away quickly and tried to concentrate on a tiny speck in the corner of the ceiling. Soon enough, however, his eye trained upon his roommate for the night. This was perhaps the first time Ciel had ever seen Sebastian like this. Despite being the insufferable douchebag he was, Sebastian had always maintained a modest dress code. He never took his shirt off in front of anybody, including the Host Club members, not even during their trip to the beach. Now, somewhat unintentionally (or so he told himself), Ciel caught a glimpse of Sebastian's naked back out of the corner of his eye. His skin wasn't dark, but at the same time not pallid, and he was lean, but still toned. He stretched his arms a little, and Ciel watched as jet-black hair brushed against the nape of his neck and as shoulder blades moved beneath the skin of his bare back, just before a plain white shirt hid it from view once again. When Sebastian began to undo the zipper of his trousers, the young earl decided he couldn't watch any longer and faced the wall, shutting his eye tightly.

After washing up, Sebastian switched off the main light, leaving the lamp on, and got into his own bed-of-sorts. He bid Ciel a good night before laying his head on his pillow, and for a while, it seemed as though they would both be drifting off to sleep. That was until Ciel broke the silence.

"Sebastian," he said, voice muffled by the duvet, "Y-you can… you can sleep on the bed too, if you want."

His upperclassman opened his eyes. "Thank you, little master, but I wouldn't want to intrude."

"N-no!" Ciel replied, maybe too enthusiastically, "I mean… it's not like it's a big deal. I just don't want you to complain that I forced you to sleep on the floor later."

Sebastian rose from his almost-bed. "My, the little master thinks so highly of me," he said cheerfully, albeit sarcastically, and sat on the proper bed next to his one-eyed neighbour.

"—covers."

The black-haired one looked at him, puzzled, "I beg your pardon?"

"I said, youcangetunderthecovers." Ciel squeaked before hastily turning his back to the Host Club leader.

Once more, Sebastian obliged. "Thank you for your most kind offer."

"Sure," he replied as offhandedly as he could, and then a few seconds later, "I hope the others are okay."

"I have no doubts that they're more than capable of handling this situation." Sebastian said reassuringly. He turned onto his side, facing Ciel, and propped his head up in his hand. "Actually, I was surprised to learn that you've been previously acquainted with my servants."

In response to this, Ciel rolled onto his back. "Yeah, they saved my life. After my parents were killed, their murderers destroyed our home and took me away, probably wanting to silence me. I managed to escape though, and when I was found, I was taken to hospital and then put into foster care. It's ironic, but it turned out that my foster parents were almost as terrible as my kidnappers, so I ran away again. I think I was trying to steal food from a grocer when Maylene found me. God knows what possessed her to take me in, but she did, and that was that. It wasn't till later on that my aunt found me and took me to live with her."

"I was not aware," Sebastian said quietly, just before silence could saturate the room.

Ciel scrunched his nose. "Most people only know about the first part and the last part. They have no idea about what happened in between. Rather, they probably don't care."

He never looked away from the ceiling, but in his peripheral vision Ciel noticed a melancholic expression appear and disappear from Sebastian's face. He felt the latter's hand move up to tenderly ruffle his hair, but he made no objection to the gesture, instead sighing at how consoling it was.

Then, smiling as he usually did, Sebastian whispered two words that caught Ciel completely off-guard.

"I care."

The boy looked over at his upperclassman, perhaps because he wasn't sure if he'd heard correctly, or because maybe, deep down, that was what he wanted to hear. Regardless of the reason, before Ciel knew it, Sebastian had leaned in and planted a gentle kiss upon his forehead.

He blinked a few times, his brain unable to process what had just happened. The moment was short-lived though, as Sebastian sat bolt upright, his confusion and embarrassment levels seemingly on par with Ciel's. Neither of them made eye contact after that, and the flustered Sebastian managed to utter a quiet 'I'm sorry' as he lay down and turned away. Ciel turned too, so that their backs were all but pressed against each other.

"Whatever," he said sternly, "But you're gonna promise me that you won't mention any of this to anybody else."

"You have my word."

"Anyway, I'm gonna sleep." the boy added, this time without his previous harsh tone, "Good night, Sebastian."

The addressed closed his eyes, "Good night, little master."

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Ciel awoke to the sound of Sebastian's phone vibrating again. He wasn't sure how long they'd both slept, but he noticed that Sebastian had faced away from him the entire night, whereas Ciel himself, on the other hand, had rolled over in his sleep so that he was curled up, awkwardly enough, against the other's back. He hastily straightened himself out as he sensed Sebastian reaching for the phone to answer it.

"Hello? Oh, Snake. Speak clearly, won't you? Oh? I understand. Thank you."

In order to make himself feel less awkward, Ciel yawned loudly and said, "So, what was that all about?"

His neighbour slowly slid up from beneath the covers and propped himself up against the headboard, running a hand through his ebony hair and then tiredly rubbing his eyes. Somehow, Ciel could never imagine what Sebastian would look like upon waking in the morning. He'd always assumed that the older boy simply got out of bed looking picture perfect as usual. It was sort of nice to see that Sebastian was human, too.

"Snake says they've resolved the threat. It's safe to go out now."

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The Michaelis household's servants had successfully gotten rid of the young woman, but Ciel judged from the state of the manor that she didn't leave without putting up a fight. Furniture had been strewn around, wallpaper torn, and decorative objects, probably worth several hundred dollars, had been smashed to pieces. Looking out the window, he realised that not even the gardens had been spared, as he gazed upon uprooted plants and smashed terracotta pots. Sebastian was right about that girl – she was certainly a force to be reckoned with. He didn't want to think about how much the reparations would cost.

As he went to wash up before breakfast, Ciel spotted a message violently scrawled on the bathroom mirror using pale lilac lipstick;

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_My darling Sebastian,_

_I'll get you next time._

– _H.A._

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The grey-haired boy shuddered and went to find another bathroom to use.

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With that, an interesting long weekend had drawn to a close. Ciel, now dressed in a blue jacket and androgynously tight jeans, stood in the foyer with Maylene, as Finny helped Snake load the car and Bard just loitered around in general. They had left Sebastian to his own devices.

"Thank you for having me this weekend," Ciel said to the girl, smiling.

"Not at all, Master Phantomhive!" she exclaimed, "I'm sorry you had to get tangled up in last night's commotion."

He shook his head. "Some things can't be helped."

Maylene straightened her glasses. "All that aside, it's been wonderful to finally see you again. Now Bard and Finny and I can have peace of mind knowing that our young master is taking care of you."

"You guys really admire that guy, don't you?" said Ciel, holding back a sardonic grin upon hearing the words 'taking care'.

The maid blushed and wrung her apron between her fingers nervously. "W-well of c-c-course I admire… I mean… w-we admire him! H-he's our young m-m-master!"

"It's fine, May," Ciel replied sweetly, "Sebastian has a way with the ladies – it's only natural that you'd have a thing for him."

She looked at him gingerly, her cheeks not becoming any less rosy. "Well, yes," her voice lowered, and she continued so quietly that Ciel struggled to hear her, "Even if I _did_ have a thing for him, I'd never have a chance with him, not just because I'm his maid, but also because the Young Master is–"

"Is what, Maylene?"

Ciel and Maylene looked up to find Sebastian standing before them, dressed in a coat, ready to depart. A composed grin graced his lips as per usual.

"N-n-nothing, sir!"

As if on cue, Snake then opened the front door and invited the students into the car. Ciel bid a last farewell to Bard, Finnian and Maylene, but not before promising to visit them again and having the life strangled out of him in a group hug. His heart felt heavy as he got into the car and waved to the group one final time. The last couple of days felt so surreal and dreamlike, it was difficult to believe that they were a mere car ride away from returning to real life.

He put his wig on when they were a few minutes away from Stoneleigh Park Academy. It was a task that he wanted to leave till the very last minute. They pulled up to the gates of the main entrance, and Snake quietly opened the door for Sebastian and Ciel. As he drove away again, Sebastian walked a few steps with Ciel, and then stopped.

"Will you be able to see yourself to your suite, little mistress?" he inquired.

Ciel looked back at him, puzzled, but he nodded anyway. "That's fine. Do you have to be somewhere?"

"I just remembered that I must pay a visit to the Careers Advisor. Perhaps I'll see you later?"

"Sure."

With that, they parted ways, and Ciel mentally reeled when it dawned upon him that he still had no idea what went on in Sebastian's head, what his background was, not even what his parents did for a living. He hadn't made any progress whatsoever. He ground his teeth during his entire walk back to his room.

When he arrived at his suite, he threw his bag onto the floor in annoyance, only to see a few leaves of paper fall out from the bag's unzipped front pocket. Funny, he didn't remember those being there. Picking them up, there was no stopping the smile that spread across his face. They were photographs, apparently taken by Bardroy, of Ciel helping Maylene and Finnian perform their respective chores, and one self-shot of the cook, with the rest of them in the background, watching the sun set. Ciel hadn't even noticed that he'd been photographed.

He sighed and held the photos close to his chest. It was no big deal that he knew almost nothing about his neighbour – he was simply content in knowing that, because of this neighbour of his, he was able to meet those three again.

Placing the photographs on his desk, the thought that Ciel had been trying not to think all these months finally started to sink in; maybe, just _maybe_, Sebastian wasn't such an awful guy after all.

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**A/N: **OMG AN UPDATE WHAT IS THIS SORCERY. Heheh, actually I was so filled with inspiration when writing Lesson 23 that my inspiration just bled into Lesson 24, so to speak.

No guesses as to who Sebastian's stalker is. xD This is the only time I feel comfortable making a canon character act relatively out-of-character. _Someone_ had to play the part of the rabid Sebastian fangirl.

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In the last Lesson, someone asked me a couple of **questions**. I'm not sure who I should address this to, as they did not leave a name, but they asked:

**1. Whether or not Sebastian is a demon in this fanfic;**

**2. What is really going on with Ciel's eye.**

And here are my answers:

1. No, Sebastian is not a demon in this fanfic. He is merely one hell of a Host Club leader. xD

2. I haven't mentioned Ciel's eye much, I know, and I'm really sorry! But it will be explained in a later chapter. You know what he's like – he'd never tell anyone such a deep dark secret until he's caught in a moment of emotional weakness or something like that.

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As always, **leave me a review** and I'll make sure to attempt to answer any questions you may have!


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